Paul Quinn College
Dallas, Texas · Private Nonprofit · 40.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 11/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Paul Quinn College, a small historically Black college in Dallas with a distinctive work-college model, posts a CampusROI score of just 11 - one of the lowest in our database - placing it firmly in the Poor Value tier. The cost stack is moderate: $13,498 sticker tuition, $12,709 average net price, $50,836 four-year total. The earnings problem is severe: 10-year median earnings of $29,288 produce a -11.2% earnings premium versus the high-school baseline (sub-score 2) and a 999-year payback period (sub-score 7) - meaning the model calculates that earnings never recoup the cost of attendance. Median debt of $23,373 against those earnings yields a 0.87 debt-to-earnings ratio (sub-score 10). The completion rate of 26.9% (sub-score 8) is the most alarming input: nearly three-quarters of incoming students do not finish the degree but may still leave with debt. Repayment is imputed at 50 because three-year repayment data is missing, but the available figures show first-year repayment of just 34% and five-year of 26%, suggesting widespread repayment difficulty. The honest read: Paul Quinn is mission-driven and serves a community Dallas badly needs to support, but the financial outcomes for incoming students are extremely concerning.
The data raises concerns about Paul Quinn College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score11/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate26.9% - Well below the 64% national average (NCES, 2022). 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.
Paul Quinn College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $13,498/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $13,498/yr |
| Average net price | $12,709/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $50,836 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $29,288 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $26,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,373 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $248 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 26.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 620 |
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: $13,498/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 $12,709/year, or roughly $50,836 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 $11,443/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $18,556/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $23,373 in federal loans, which works out to about $248 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $29,288 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.87, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
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 | $11,443 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,053 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,626 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $15,230 |
| $110,001+ | $18,556 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $11,443 net annually - about $46,000 over four years. For Pell-eligible students, federal aid covers most of this, but median debt at graduation is still $23,373 against $29,288 of 10-year earnings. The math is extremely tight, and the 26.9% completion rate means most low-income enrollees leave with some debt and no degree - the worst possible outcome.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households at $48,001-$75,000 pay $13,626 and $75,001-$110,000 pays $15,230 - $54,000-$61,000 over four years. Combined with the low completion rate and weak earnings, this tier is hard to defend financially. Texas public alternatives (UT-Dallas, UT-Arlington, UNT, Texas State) deliver dramatically better cost-to-outcome math for the same student profile.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $18,556 net, or about $74,000 over four years. At full or near-full pay, Paul Quinn's financial case is essentially impossible to defend on standard ROI grounds. Enrollment at this income tier would need to be driven by mission alignment (HBCU experience, work-college model) rather than financial considerations.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 34.4% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | N/A | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 26.4% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 32.2% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Paul Quinn 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 | 40.3% |
| Enrollment | 620 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 67.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,785 |
Paul Quinn admits 40.3% of applicants. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported in current Scorecard data, which is consistent with a test-optional or test-flexible posture and an open-access mission. The 26.9% completion rate combined with the moderate admit rate suggests substantial gaps between admission readiness and college-level work; this is the single biggest financial risk for incoming students who borrow.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
The CampusROI peer set includes Abilene Christian University (TX), Arlington Baptist University (TX), Philander Smith University (AR), St. Andrews University (NC), and Carolina University (NC). Philander Smith is the closest direct comp - another small private HBCU - and posts somewhat similar weak ROI metrics. Abilene Christian materially outperforms Paul Quinn on completion and earnings. Arlington Baptist is similar in scale but with a Christian rather than HBCU focus. None of these peers offer a compelling alternative ROI case at full price.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Quinn College (this school) | 11 | $12,709 | $29,288 |
| Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | 11 | $14,265 | $37,837 |
| Le Moyne-Owen College | 11 | $7,099 | $35,594 |
| Alabama A & M University | 10 | $17,621 | $40,628 |
| University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 10 | $12,653 | $35,550 |
| Lincoln University | 10 | $19,092 | $39,463 |
Who Thrives Here
With just 620 students and a 67.3% Pell rate, Paul Quinn serves a heavily Pell-eligible Black student body in Dallas with a distinctive work-college and urban-agriculture mission. The school's 'WE over Me' work-program model is genuinely unique among HBCUs. However, the 26.9% completion rate means most students do not graduate, and those who do see modest earnings outcomes. Students considering Paul Quinn should weigh the work-college experience and HBCU community against the financial outcome data, which on raw numbers is among the weakest in the country.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Paul Quinn College are a real concern. With a net cost of $12,709 per year and the typical graduate earning only $29,288 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 26.9% graduation rate, high debt relative to what graduates earn, a long payback period.
Be careful with the debt here. A median $23,373 owed against $29,288 in earnings is heavy, and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.80 is past the level advisors flag. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Paul Quinn College: Common Questions
Is Paul Quinn College worth it?
In our view, the numbers are a real concern - for most students the financial return does not justify the cost. Paul Quinn College scores 11/100 on our ROI scale. At $12,709 a year after aid against $29,288 in typical earnings ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years.
How much does Paul Quinn College cost after financial aid?
The average net price - what students actually pay after grants and scholarships - is about $12,709 a year, or roughly $50,836 over four years. That is the number to plan around, not the sticker price. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Paul Quinn College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $29,288 ten years after enrolling, near the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off Paul Quinn 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 >50 years for Paul Quinn College. Most four-year schools we track land between 4 and 10 years.
How much debt do Paul Quinn College graduates take on?
Median debt at graduation is about $23,373, against $29,288 in typical earnings a decade out. At a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.80, that is past the level advisors flag, so how much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Paul Quinn College?
The six-year graduation rate is 26.9%, below the 64% national average (NCES, 2022) - and not finishing is the fastest route to a poor return. 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.