Morehouse College
Atlanta, Georgia · Private Nonprofit · 44.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 29/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Morehouse College, the historically Black men's liberal arts college in Atlanta, scores 29 out of 100, landing in the Below Benchmark tier. The structural concern is the 45.5% three-year repayment rate, signaling that more than half of borrowers are not reducing principal three years out. Tuition is $32,893 with net price actually higher at $39,013 (the difference reflects room and board); the four-year sticker is $156,052. Median federal debt is $25,000, modest given the price. The Business Administration program (128 graduates, B grade, $55,567 first-year earnings) is the standout, and the school's well-known pipeline into corporate America, finance, and graduate/professional school adds non-financial value not captured in the headline ROI number.
How Morehouse College scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score29/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period16.5 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Morehouse College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $32,893/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $32,893/yr |
| Average net price | $39,013/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $156,052 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $52,889 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $34,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 16.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 59.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,844 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $32,893/year, which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $39,013/year, or roughly $156,052 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $36,359/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $42,723/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,000, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($34,600) and comes to 0.72, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
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 | $36,359 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $36,534 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $40,092 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $41,179 |
| $110,001+ | $42,723 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-$30,000 pay $36,359 net price - a steep figure for the lowest-income bracket, indicating that institutional aid does not deeply close the gap. Pell maxes at ~$7,400 and Georgia HOPE/Zell Miller scholarships help in-state students. The $52,889 in 10-year earnings against $25,000 debt makes the math work eventually, but the cost-side burden on low-income families is real.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $36,534, $48,001-$75,000 pays $40,092, and $75,001-$110,000 pays $41,179. The aid model scales income-progressively but with shallow discounts. Middle-income families face $36,000-$41,000 net annually - a meaningful financial commitment that should be weighed against the network value Morehouse provides.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $42,723 - the highest bracket, only modestly above middle-income figures. The compressed pricing curve means high-income families pay near-sticker. Full-pay families spend roughly $171,000 over four years for the credential and network. The financial calculus only works if the family specifically values the Morehouse alumni network and HBCU experience.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Morehouse College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $69,422 | B |
| Biology | $34,866 | F |
| Sociology | $62,517 | D |
| International Relations | $71,139 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $39,567 | F |
| Economics | $84,816 | C |
| Psychology | $54,867 | D |
| English Language and Literature | $46,847 | F |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $112,934 | - |
| Communication and Media Studies | $40,273 | D |
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
By far the largest program with 128 graduates, the BBA earns a B grade. First-year earnings of $55,567 climb to $69,422 by year four against $23,625 median debt and a 0.425 debt-to-earnings ratio. Strong outcomes that reflect Morehouse's deep corporate recruiting pipeline (Goldman, McKinsey, IBM, and major banks all recruit on campus). The four-year progression is solid; alumni network effects drive much of the long-term earnings premium beyond what the data shows.
Biology
Thirty-two graduates earn an F grade. First-year earnings of $19,679 against $24,543 median debt produce the worst ratio in the program mix (1.247). Four-year earnings only reach $34,866, indicating most graduates do not advance to medical school during the measurement window. Pre-med biology at any HBCU follows the national pattern: most students enroll planning medical school, only a fraction get admitted, and the rest graduate underemployed. Morehouse's actual MD/PhD placement is strong for those who succeed, but the headline number captures the broader cohort.
Sociology
Twenty-six graduates earn a D grade. First-year earnings of $31,391 climb meaningfully to $62,517 by year four against $29,500 median debt and a 0.94 ratio. The four-year jump from $31K to $62K is substantial and likely reflects graduates entering law school, social work graduate programs, or policy careers. The entry math is tight; the trajectory rewards advanced credentials.
International Relations
Twenty-five graduates earn a D grade. First-year earnings of $32,340 climb sharply to $71,139 by year four against $25,125 median debt and a 0.777 ratio. The four-year doubling of earnings indicates strong placement into State Department, NGO, federal government, and international consulting roles. Morehouse's reputation in DC policy circles drives this trajectory.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Twenty-three graduates earn an F grade. First-year earnings of $26,158 against $28,000 median debt produce a 1.07 ratio. Four-year earnings only reach $39,567 - relatively flat progression. Like biology, this is a pre-health pipeline (PT, OT, athletic training) where most students do not advance to graduate programs. Students pursuing this major should have a clear graduate plan or pivot to a more applied health-services credential.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 38.6% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 45.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 40.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 43.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Morehouse College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 44.0% |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-25 |
| Enrollment | 2,844 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 44.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,703 |
Morehouse admits 44% of applicants. SAT data is not reported; ACT mid-range is 18-25. The 59.4% completion rate is consistent with the academic profile - well-prepared admits mostly finish. Prospective students with ACT 23+ and a clear pre-professional or graduate-school plan should expect favorable consideration.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morehouse College (this school) | 29 | $39,013 | $52,889 |
| North Carolina A & T State University | 32 | $10,846 | $44,440 |
| Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 28 | $13,739 | $44,349 |
| Winston-Salem State University | 27 | $13,479 | $45,344 |
| Prairie View A & M University | 27 | $13,570 | $45,411 |
| Tuskegee University | 26 | $35,013 | $49,641 |
Who Thrives Here
Morehouse enrolls 2,844 students with a 44.7% Pell rate, drawing nationally from Black families across the US. The fit is overwhelmingly clear: students seeking an all-male HBCU experience with deep alumni network access in business, law, medicine, ministry, and politics.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Morehouse College scores 29/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $39,013 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $52,889 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 16.5 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 45.5% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $34,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Morehouse College: Common Questions
Is Morehouse College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Morehouse College scores 29/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $39,013 a year after aid against $52,889 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 16.5 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Morehouse College cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $39,013 a year, or roughly $156,052 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Morehouse College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $52,889 ten years after enrolling, roughly $11,089 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Morehouse College?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 16.5 years for Morehouse College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Morehouse College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $34,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Morehouse College?
The six-year graduation rate is 59.4%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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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.