North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro, North Carolina · Public · 49.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 32/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
North Carolina A&T State University posts an ROI score of 32 (Below Benchmark tier). The headline numbers look reasonable on the cost side: $6,813 in-state tuition and a $10,846 net price are firmly affordable for a four-year university. The problem is what graduates earn relative to what they borrow. Median earnings ten years out are $44,440, the median federal-loan debt is $27,000, and the resulting debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.852 means typical borrowers owe roughly 85 cents for every dollar of annual income. A&T's STEM strength is real: industrial, electrical, computer, chemical, and mechanical engineering all post six-figure mid-career earnings. The score is dragged down by a heavy enrollment tail in education, psychology, criminal justice, biology, and liberal arts where earnings sit in the high $20Ks to low $30Ks. As of 2024-2025 Scorecard data, the school is a strong value for engineers and nurses and a marginal one for everyone else.
How North Carolina A & T State University 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 Score32/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period19.4 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
North Carolina A & T State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $6,813/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $20,673/yr |
| Average net price | $10,846/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $43,384 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $44,440 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $31,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 19.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 57.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 12,182 |
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: $6,813/year ($20,673/year out-of-state), 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 $10,846/year, or roughly $43,384 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 $8,223/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $17,311/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $27,000, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($31,700) and comes to 0.85, 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 | $8,223 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $9,462 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $11,973 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,454 |
| $110,001+ | $17,311 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30K pay $8,223 net per year. The risk is concentrating in low-earning majors where $33K in total cost still produces six-figure-ratio debt against $30K earnings. Major choice matters more than admission here.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48K-$75K band pays $11,973 net, and the $75K-$110K band jumps to $16,454. That step-up reflects sharp aid tapering. Middle-income families face roughly $48K-$66K in four-year out-of-pocket cost, which works for STEM majors but produces a thin margin for humanities or education graduates earning under $35K out of school.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110K pay $17,311 net. For high-income North Carolina families committed to an HBCU experience or A&T's engineering pipeline, the math holds. For high-income out-of-state families paying close to the $20,673 sticker, the value case requires a high-earning major to clear.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at North Carolina A & T State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $45,367 | F |
| Psychology | $45,215 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $42,978 | F |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $60,863 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $48,804 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $51,474 | D |
| Biology | $57,392 | D |
| Mechanical Engineering | $85,463 | B |
| Computer Science | $105,342 | B+ |
| Animal Sciences | $48,155 | 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.
Computer Science
Computer Science is A&T's standout program: 64 graduates, $81,174 first-year median earnings, $105,342 at four years out, and a 0.324 debt-to-earnings ratio for a B+ ROI grade.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering produces 79 graduates with $72,278 first-year earnings and $85,463 at four years. Debt of $29,822 against a 0.413 D/E ratio earns a B grade. The program's scale and consistent placement into Southeast manufacturing and defense contractors makes ME one of A&T's signature ROI paths.
Registered Nursing
Nursing yields $73,368 first-year earnings on $28,353 of debt for a B grade and 0.386 D/E ratio. With 48 graduates a year, this is a reliable, regulated-licensure path into hospitals across the Piedmont and Charlotte metro. Strong fit for students who want predictable post-graduation earnings without engineering's math intensity.
Psychology
Psychology is the largest single major by enrollment with 163 graduates and the worst-fit ROI: $27,653 first-year earnings, $27,000 debt, 0.976 debt-to-earnings ratio, and a D grade. Most psych majors will need graduate degrees to clear that ratio. Students choosing this path should plan on a master's and counsel against treating the bachelor's as terminal.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Admin enrolls 122 graduates with $45,114 first-year earnings, $29,425 debt, and a 0.652 D/E ratio (C grade). Graduates clear payments and earn a modest premium over high-school-only workers, but the program lacks the breakout earnings of A&T's engineering tracks. A reasonable default for students who want general business credentials.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 44.6% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 51.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 33.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 39.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How North Carolina A & T State University’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 | 49.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 510-590 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 510-600 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-23 |
| Enrollment | 12,182 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 52.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,522 |
A&T admits roughly half of applicants (49.9% admission rate) with an SAT mid-range of 510-590 math and 510-600 reading, and an ACT band of 17-23. That places it as moderately selective with a clear academic floor, but well within reach for solid B-average students. The 57.2% completion rate aligns with this admit profile: prepared students who matriculate finish, but the institution serves a substantial number of borderline-prepared students whose persistence is weaker.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
A&T's ROI is 32.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina A & T State University (this school) | 32 | $10,846 | $44,440 |
| Morgan State University | 34 | $14,985 | $50,698 |
| Delaware State University | 33 | $13,910 | $49,307 |
| Coppin State University | 33 | $9,977 | $46,490 |
| American Baptist College | 32 | $9,216 | $41,216 |
| Morehouse College | 29 | $39,013 | $52,889 |
Who Thrives Here
A&T fits Pell-eligible North Carolinians and students drawn to its HBCU identity, particularly those targeting engineering, nursing, or computer science. 52.3% of students receive Pell grants, enrollment is 12,182, and the campus serves Greensboro and the broader Piedmont. Outcomes diverge sharply by major: an engineering or nursing student here can expect strong ROI; a liberal arts or social-science student faces real risk of debt outrunning earnings. The data argues for ruthless major selection over generic college-going.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, North Carolina A & T State University scores 32/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $10,846 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $44,440 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 19.4 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: a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.85 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 51.8% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $31,700 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.85. 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.
North Carolina A & T State University: Common Questions
Is North Carolina A & T State University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. North Carolina A & T State University scores 32/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $10,846 a year after aid against $44,440 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 19.4 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does North Carolina A & T State University 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 $10,846 a year, or roughly $43,384 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 North Carolina A & T State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $44,440 ten years after enrolling, roughly $2,640 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 North Carolina A & T State University?
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 19.4 years for North Carolina A & T State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do North Carolina A & T State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $31,700 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.85. 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 North Carolina A & T State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 57.2%. 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.