Savannah State University
Savannah, Georgia · Public
ROI Score: 10/100 · Poor Value
Savannah State University, a public HBCU on Georgia's coast, scores 10 (Poor Value) - one of the lowest scores in our database. The headline numbers explain why: 28% completion rate, $26,200 six-year median earnings, $37,981 ten-year median earnings, $28,000 median federal debt, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.069 (graduates owe more than they earn annually). The payback period is calculated at 57.9 years - effectively, earnings never recoup cost on any reasonable horizon. Repayment rate of just 32.5% is among the lowest reported - more than two-thirds of borrowers are not actively paying down principal. The cost side looks affordable on paper - $5,750 in-state tuition and $8,172 net price - but completion and earnings outcomes are so weak that even modest debt becomes punishing. With 67.6% Pell rate and 2,833 students, Savannah State serves an overwhelmingly low-income student body. As of 2024-2025 Scorecard data, this is a high-risk financial bet whose outcomes are structurally weak relative to comparable HBCUs and Georgia regional publics.
The data raises concerns about Savannah State University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score10/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.07 - Advisors recommend total student debt stay below one year of salary (ratio under 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate28.0% - 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.
Savannah State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $5,750/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $19,043/yr |
| Average net price | $8,172/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $32,688 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $37,981 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $26,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $28,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $297 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 28.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,833 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Savannah State University is $5,750/year ($19,043/year out-of-state). But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $8,172/year, or roughly $32,688 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $6,739/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $12,597/year.
The median graduate leaves with $28,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $297 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $37,981 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.07 - 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 | $6,739 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,033 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $9,882 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $12,694 |
| $110,001+ | $12,597 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30K pay $6,739 net per year - genuinely low. Pell stacking provides real coverage. The financial trap is not the tuition but the combination of low completion, modest earnings, and debt that accumulates over extended time-to-degree. Even at $6,739, students who don't finish or who major in the weakest programs end up financially worse than they started.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48K-$75K band pays $9,882 and the $75K-$110K band climbs to $12,694. Middle-income Georgia families face $40K-$51K in four-year out-of-pocket cost. The cost is workable in isolation but the earnings ceiling implied by the data ($38K at 10 years out) makes the math fragile across most major choices.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110K pay $12,597 net per year - actually slightly less than the $75K-$110K band ($12,694), a minor inversion worth flagging. For high-income Georgia families, the school's HBCU identity is a values purchase; the financial outcomes don't justify the cost for any major mix when measured against alternatives like Albany State or University of West Georgia.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Savannah State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $46,957 | F |
| Biology | $45,983 | F |
| Journalism | $39,677 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $51,430 | F |
| Information Science | $60,183 | C |
| Social Work | $49,360 | C+ |
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other | $58,382 | C |
| Marketing | $42,391 | F |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $48,594 | F |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | $39,208 | 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 Admin is the largest single major with 66 graduates and one of the weakest financial outcomes in our database: $30,170 first-year earnings against $36,836 debt - a 1.221 debt-to-earnings ratio (F grade). Graduates owe roughly $1.22 for every dollar of annual income. This represents financial harm at scale and is one of the strongest signals of structural program weakness on the campus.
Biology
Biology produces 59 graduates with $26,114 first-year earnings, $33,777 debt, and a 1.293 D/E ratio (F grade). Pre-med aspirations without the institutional support to actualize them - students who don't continue to graduate or professional school face severe debt-vs-earnings mismatch. Choose this path only with a concrete medical/PA-school plan.
Information Science
Information Science produces 18 graduates with $46,840 first-year earnings, $27,000 debt, and a 0.576 D/E ratio (C grade). One of Savannah State's least-bad ROI paths - the bachelor's clears debt service modestly and feeds Savannah-area IT roles. Not strong, but defensible.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice enrolls 29 graduates with $30,195 first-year earnings, $33,875 debt, and a 1.122 D/E ratio (F grade). The classic CJ-at-a-weak-school dynamic: starting law-enforcement salaries cap below where the debt service can clear. Years of strain even for graduates who land their target jobs.
Accounting
Accounting produces 14 graduates with $38,206 first-year earnings, $26,000 debt, and a 0.681 D/E ratio (C grade). Among the more rational paths Savannah State offers, with regulated-credential earnings that clear debt service if the student persists. Better fit than business administration despite similar career framing.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 24.2% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 32.5% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 25.5% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 31.9% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 2,833 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 67.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,445 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, making selectivity assessment difficult. The university does not report SAT or ACT mid-ranges either. The 28% completion rate is among the lowest in our database, suggesting the school admits broadly but lacks the financial-aid and academic-support infrastructure to bring students through to graduation. This combination - missing selectivity data plus very low completion - is a red flag for prospective students considering a four-year commitment.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Among named peers, Savannah State's 10 ROI is in the same bottom tier as Central State University in Ohio, another struggling public HBCU. South Carolina State University posts similar weak metrics. Albany State University, also a Georgia HBCU, performs slightly better with comparable cost dynamics. University of Maine at Augusta and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College post weak but better numbers. The peer comparison confirms Savannah State's challenges are partly structural to under-resourced public HBCUs, not isolated to this institution.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savannah State University (this school) | 10 | $8,172 | $37,981 |
| Alabama A & M University | 10 | $17,621 | $40,628 |
| University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 10 | $12,653 | $35,550 |
| Philander Smith University | 10 | $14,224 | $38,427 |
| Lincoln University | 10 | $19,092 | $39,463 |
| Texas Southern University | 10 | $16,590 | $38,924 |
Who Thrives Here
Savannah State fits Pell-eligible Georgia students drawn to its HBCU identity and Savannah location, particularly those who would otherwise not attend college at all. With 67.6% Pell rate and 2,833 students, the financial profile is overwhelmingly low-income. Students should approach enrollment with eyes open: the school's mission of access is real, but completion and earnings outcomes are weak. Strong fit for students with strong external supports who pick the school's information science, accounting, or homeland security programs. Weak fit for students who borrow significantly and concentrate in the largest majors (business, biology, criminal justice) where outcomes are worst.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Savannah State University. With a net cost of $8,172 per year and median graduate earnings of only $37,981 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 28.0% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $28,000 against $37,981 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74 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.