Morris College
Sumter, South Carolina · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 3/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Morris College earns an overall ROI score of 3 (Poor Value) - among the lowest in CampusROI's database. The historic HBCU in Sumter, SC charges $16,664 tuition but average net price is $20,555 - net price exceeds tuition, meaning costs beyond tuition exceed institutional aid for nearly all students. Four-year cost runs $82,220. The outcomes data is alarming: median earnings are just $19,200 six years out and only $30,614 at 10 years - below high-school-graduate baseline. Median debt is $31,400 against a 1.635 debt-to-earnings ratio. Completion is 17.4%, among the lowest reported. Repayment is dire at 22% three-year and 25.9% seven-year. Payback shows 999 years - earnings will essentially never recoup the cost via wages. Pell rate is 95.5%, the highest in our dataset. The institution serves a small (383 enrolled) overwhelmingly low-income student body and its mission as one of the oldest HBCUs in South Carolina is historically significant, but the current financial outcome data is severe. Prospective students should investigate institutional accreditation status and consider transfer pathways to South Carolina State University or local technical colleges.
The data raises concerns about Morris College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score3/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.64 - Advisors recommend total student debt stay below one year of salary (ratio under 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate17.3% - 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.
Morris College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $16,664/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $16,664/yr |
| Average net price | $20,555/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $82,220 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $30,614 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $19,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $31,400 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $333 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 17.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 383 |
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: $16,664/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $20,555/year, or roughly $82,220 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 $20,485/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $31,400 in federal loans, which works out to about $333 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $30,614 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 1.64, which is high - the rule of thumb is that total debt should not top your first-year salary, and this is over that line.
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 | $20,485 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $20,609 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $20,727 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,121 |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30K pay $20,485 net per year - nearly the same as every other reported income bracket. Four-year cost is $82K. Pell-eligible students borrow heavily relative to the wage outcomes the institution produces. Given the 17.4% completion rate and the wage data showing graduates earn below high-school baseline, the financial risk is severe.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 30-48K bracket pays $20,609, the 48-75K bracket pays $20,727, and the 75-110K bracket pays $21,121. The aid structure is essentially flat across income tiers - almost no need-progressive discounting. This is unusual and reflects an institution with minimal institutional aid resources.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Net price for over-110K is not reported. The flat pricing across reported brackets suggests the institution does not see meaningful enrollment from higher-income families. Given the universal financial outcomes, the case for enrollment at any income tier is difficult to make.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at Morris College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $46,257 | C |
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 is Morris College's only reported program at 33 graduates - the institution's largest credential pathway. Four-year earnings of $46,257 against $26,946 median debt produces a 0.583 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C grade. The grade is significantly better than the institutional ROI score because program-level reporting reflects completers only, and completers do achieve reasonable mid-career outcomes. First-year earnings are suppressed. For the 17% of entering students who complete, the business credential produces workable outcomes; the dominant institutional story is the 83% who do not complete.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 17.2% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 22.0% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 17.2% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 25.9% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Morris College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
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
| Enrollment | 383 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 95.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,816 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, nor are SAT or ACT mid-ranges. Morris College historically operates with open or near-open admissions serving the local Sumter-area Black student population. The 17.4% completion rate is among the lowest reported and reflects severe institutional and student-financial challenges. The very small enrollment scale (383) limits academic-support infrastructure investment.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Peers include Allen University, Anderson University (SC), Arkansas Baptist College, Rust College, and East-West University. Allen, Arkansas Baptist, and Rust are smaller HBCUs facing similar institutional and financial challenges. Anderson SC is a stronger non-HBCU South Carolina private with materially better outcomes. East-West is a Chicago commuter-focused private. The peer group highlights that small under-resourced HBCUs systemically produce weak financial outcomes, suggesting structural sector challenges rather than purely institution-specific ones.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morris College (this school) | 3 | $20,555 | $30,614 |
| Anderson University | 24 | $23,544 | $42,101 |
| Arkansas Baptist College | 4 | $10,627 | $28,418 |
| East-West University | 4 | $21,697 | $29,963 |
| Rust College | 3 | $12,587 | $32,275 |
| Allen University | 3 | $10,972 | $30,497 |
Who Thrives Here
Morris College fits Black students in the Sumter, SC area drawn to a small HBCU community and unable to access stronger alternatives. Pell rate is 95.5% - the institution serves an essentially universally Pell-eligible student body. Enrollment is 383. The mission is real and historic, but the financial outcomes data demand serious consideration before enrollment. Students should investigate transfer agreements with SC State, Benedict College, or community-college routes that produce stronger financial outcomes.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Morris College are a real concern. With a net cost of $20,555 per year and the typical graduate earning only $30,614 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost - go in with your eyes open.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 17.3% graduation rate, high debt relative to what graduates earn, concerning loan repayment rates, a long payback period.
Be careful with the debt here. A median $31,400 owed against $30,614 in earnings is heavy, and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.03 is past the level advisors flag. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
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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.