Livingstone College
Salisbury, North Carolina · Private Nonprofit · 59.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 4/100 · Poor Value
Livingstone College, an AME Zion HBCU in Salisbury, North Carolina, posts a Poor Value ROI score of just 4/100 - the lowest in this batch and among the lowest at any HBCU. Every dimension of the data is difficult: completion is 28.2%, repayment is just 25.6% (three in four borrowers are not making progress on principal seven years out), and the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.461, meaning typical graduates owe nearly $1.50 in debt for every dollar of early-career income. The earnings premium is negative at -4.5% - Livingstone graduates earn marginally less than typical high-school graduates six years after entry. The payback period of 999 years flags that earnings essentially never recoup the cost. Tuition is $18,296 with a $13,479 net price, putting four-year cost at $53,916 - relatively affordable in absolute terms, but the median debt of $31,125 is high relative to $21,300 six-year earnings and $32,600 ten-year earnings. This is a school facing serious institutional challenges: low completion, weak earnings, and a borrowing pattern that has produced widespread financial distress among graduates. The mission - serving low-income Black students in the AME Zion tradition - is real, but the financial outcomes are not currently delivering on that mission.
The data raises concerns about Livingstone College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score4/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.46 - Advisors recommend total student debt stay below one year of salary (ratio under 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate28.2% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers — the cost may not recoup within a working career.
Livingstone College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $18,296/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $18,296/yr |
| Average net price | $13,479/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $53,916 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $32,600 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $21,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $31,125 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $330 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 28.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 924 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Livingstone College is $18,296/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $13,479/year, or roughly $53,916 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $13,860/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $16,018/year.
The median graduate leaves with $31,125 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $330 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $32,600 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.46 - above the recommended threshold where total debt should not exceed first-year salary.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $13,860 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,056 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $11,028 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $14,558 |
| $110,001+ | $16,018 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $13,860 per year net - reasonable in absolute terms, but the institutional outcomes mean that even this manageable price produces a weak payback. Four-year cost is $55,440. The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $14,056. For Pell-eligible students, NC's community-college-to-public-university transfer pathway is generally a stronger financial bet.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $11,028 - lower than the bottom bracket, an inversion worth flagging. The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $14,558. The inverted aid structure suggests small-cohort statistical noise rather than a deliberate aid policy.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $16,018 per year - still below sticker but minimally discounted. Four-year cost is $64,072. Given the institutional outcomes, the financial case at any income tier is mostly mission-driven, not return-driven.
Earnings by Major
Top 7 most popular majors at Livingstone College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $40,328 | F |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $41,765 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $35,015 | F |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $41,458 | - |
| Biology | $40,017 | D |
| Social Work | $46,945 | - |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $38,155 | F |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business administration (21 grads) earns $25,757 first-year and $40,328 at four years, with $33,000 median debt and a 1.281 debt-to-earnings ratio - an F ROI grade. Borrowing meaningfully more than annual earnings creates a structural payback problem. The largest reported program by graduate count, but the financial profile is severely strained.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal justice (14 grads) earns $27,405 at year one and $35,015 at year four, with $35,375 debt and a 1.291 debt-to-earnings ratio - an F ROI grade. Criminal justice salaries are generally low at the entry level and the debt load is high. Public-university CJ programs at half the cost produce similar career outcomes.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology (21 grads) earns just $21,427 first-year and $41,765 at four years, with $35,000 debt and a 1.633 debt-to-earnings ratio - an F ROI grade. The four-year recovery is meaningful but debt at 1.6x annual earnings is structurally hard. Kinesiology generally requires graduate study (PT, OT) for meaningful earnings; the undergrad-only path is weak.
Biology
Biology (8 grads) reports $40,017 in four-year median earnings, $34,594 debt, and a 0.864 debt-to-earnings ratio - a D ROI grade, the best in Livingstone's reported program mix. Many biology graduates pursue health-professions graduate programs; the strong-on-paper four-year earnings may reflect the start of post-graduate career trajectories.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer sciences (10 grads) reports $41,458 in four-year median earnings - the highest of any program at Livingstone - with debt data not reported. The earnings are modest by national CS standards but represent the best-performing program at Livingstone in raw labor-market terms. A potential bright spot worth strengthening.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 16.1% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 25.6% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 17.5% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 22.6% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 59.3% |
| Enrollment | 924 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 82.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,732 |
Livingstone admits 59.25% of applicants. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported in current Scorecard data, consistent with a test-optional posture common at small HBCUs. The moderate selectivity paired with a 28% completion rate suggests both academic-preparation and financial-pressure attrition; many enrolled students likely face significant resource constraints that interact with academic challenge.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Scorecard peers include Barton College, Belmont Abbey College, Miles College, Lane College, and Wiley University. Miles, Lane, and Wiley are the meaningful peer comparisons - other small HBCUs serving similar student populations - and their ROI scores cluster in a similar low range. Barton and Belmont Abbey are non-HBCU NC privates included by enrollment match and post materially better outcomes. The HBCU peer set collectively shows the institutional and labor-market structural challenges facing this segment.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Livingstone College (this school) | 4 | $13,479 | $32,600 |
| Alabama State University | 5 | $20,435 | $34,502 |
| Shaw University | 4 | $16,512 | $34,409 |
| Central State University | 4 | $13,096 | $33,267 |
| Benedict College | 4 | $18,250 | $31,902 |
| Jarvis Christian University | 4 | $9,825 | $32,992 |
Who Thrives Here
Livingstone enrolls 924 students with an 82.1% Pell rate - one of the highest Pell shares anywhere, reflecting a deeply low-income student body. The school fits Black students from the AME Zion tradition who specifically want a small-HBCU experience and have limited alternatives. For students with mobility - admission to NC public universities (UNC system, NC A&T, NCCU) - the financial case for choosing Livingstone is hard to draw.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Livingstone College. With a net cost of $13,479 per year and median graduate earnings of only $32,600 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 28.2% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $31,125 against $32,600 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.95 exceeds the commonly recommended threshold. Major choice is critical here.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.