Shaw University
Raleigh, North Carolina · Private Nonprofit · 80.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 4/100 · Poor Value
Shaw University, a historic HBCU in Raleigh, NC, posts an overall ROI score of 4 out of 100, placing it firmly in our Poor Value tier. The headline numbers are unforgiving: a 21.8% completion rate, $25,100 median earnings six years after entry rising to just $34,409 at the ten-year mark, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.295 (graduates owe roughly $32,500 in median federal debt against earnings barely above the high-school baseline). The paybackPeriodYears value of 999 is our internal flag for "earnings never recoup the cost of attendance" -- in plain English, the typical Shaw graduate is not projected to break even on tuition spend. Net price is $16,512 against an $17,538 sticker, and the four-year out-of-pocket cost runs about $66,048. The 29.2% three-year repayment rate is among the lowest signals on our dashboard: most borrowers are not actively paying down principal three years after leaving school. What the score does not capture is Shaw's mission as the South's oldest HBCU and the qualitative value of that pipeline. The numbers, however, demand candor: completion is the binding constraint here, and students considering Shaw should weigh that risk seriously.
The data raises concerns about Shaw University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score4/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.29 - Advisors recommend total student debt stay below one year of salary (ratio under 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate21.8% - 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.
Shaw University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $17,538/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $17,538/yr |
| Average net price | $16,512/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $66,048 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $34,409 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $25,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $32,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $345 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 21.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 875 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Shaw University is $17,538/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $16,512/year, or roughly $66,048 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $16,236/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,966/year.
The median graduate leaves with $32,500 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $345 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $34,409 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.29 - 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 | $16,236 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $16,276 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $21,145 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | N/A |
| $110,001+ | $24,966 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 face a $16,236 net price -- only a few hundred dollars below the headline net price. For a household at this income level, that is roughly 54% of pre-tax income for a single year of attendance, and the four-year burden is substantial. Combined with a 21.8% completion rate, the expected-value math for Pell-eligible families is unfavorable unless the student has strong external supports.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-48,000 bracket pays $16,276 (essentially flat with the lowest band), while $48,001-75,000 jumps to $21,145 -- a $4,800 step-up that the data does not fully explain. The $75,001-110,000 bracket is unreported in current Scorecard data. Middle-income families should run the school's own net price calculator, because the bracketed averages here are noisy at Shaw's small enrollment scale.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $24,966 net, the highest of the reported brackets. At Shaw's earnings outcomes, paying full or near-full freight from a high-income household yields very weak ROI on a pure financial basis -- the school's value proposition for this segment is mission, community, and legacy rather than payback math.
Earnings by Major
Top 6 most popular majors at Shaw University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $47,401 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $28,545 | F |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $44,010 | F |
| Social Work | $46,981 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $43,299 | F |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | $32,241 | 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 Administration is Shaw's flagship program by graduate count (40) and the only one with a debt-to-earnings ratio under 1.0. First-year earnings of $34,652 rise to $47,401 by year four, which is a real growth curve. Median debt of $34,265 against year-one earnings yields a 0.989 ratio (D grade). For students confident they will complete, Business is the relatively safer bet at Shaw, though the entire portfolio sits in C-D-F territory.
Communication and Media Studies
Communications graduates 21 students annually but posts a 1.489 debt-to-earnings ratio against $42,500 median debt and just $28,545 median earnings four years out -- an F grade with no clear path to repayment under standard amortization. The 1-year earnings figure is suppressed (null). Students should treat this major as high-risk at Shaw and probe internship pipelines and Raleigh-area placement networks before enrolling.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice produces 16 graduates with $25,649 first-year earnings and $43,299 by year four -- the year-four number is the program's redeeming signal. But $37,500 in median debt drives a 1.462 ratio and an F grade. Students aiming at federal/state corrections or local law enforcement may find earnings rise meaningfully with seniority, but the entry-level math at Shaw is rough.
Social Work
Social Work shows $31,138 first-year earnings and $46,981 by year four -- decent growth -- but $38,000 in median debt yields a 1.22 ratio (F grade). Social work is a mission-driven, low-paying field everywhere, and the debt load here is poorly matched to the labor market. Students committed to the field should consider lower-cost public alternatives or aggressive PSLF planning.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology is the weakest performer in the portfolio: $18,987 in year-one earnings (a low signal even by entry-level standards), $44,010 by year four, and $30,500 in median debt produce a 1.606 ratio and an F grade. The four-year earnings recovery suggests many graduates pursue further training (PT, OT, education), so the major may function as a pre-professional stepping stone rather than a terminal credential.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 19.0% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 29.2% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 21.1% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 27.0% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 80.2% |
| Enrollment | 875 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 66.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,041 |
Shaw admits 80.2% of applicants, an open-access posture consistent with its access-mission identity. Standardized test scores (SAT and ACT) are not reported in the current Scorecard data, which is common at HBCUs that have moved test-optional. The high admit rate combined with a 21.8% six-year completion rate signals that academic support and persistence -- not gatekeeping at the front door -- are where outcomes are decided here.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Among Shaw's listed peers, the picture is similar across the small private and HBCU cluster. Lane College and Wiley University are sister HBCUs with comparable completion and earnings profiles; Miles College in Alabama tracks closely on debt-to-earnings dynamics. Barton College and Belmont Abbey College are non-HBCU North Carolina privates with stronger completion and earnings outcomes, suggesting that students cross-shopping inside North Carolina will see meaningfully different ROI math at those two campuses. Shaw sits at the lower end of even this peer set on completion and repayment.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shaw University (this school) | 4 | $16,512 | $34,409 |
| Alabama State University | 5 | $20,435 | $34,502 |
| Livingstone College | 4 | $13,479 | $32,600 |
| Central State University | 4 | $13,096 | $33,267 |
| Benedict College | 4 | $18,250 | $31,902 |
| Jarvis Christian University | 4 | $9,825 | $32,992 |
Who Thrives Here
Shaw's enrollment of 875 makes it a small, residential community, and the 66.4% Pell grant rate confirms it serves a heavily low-income student body -- a population for whom the institutional mission, mentorship, and HBCU network often matter as much as the raw ROI number. Students who thrive here typically want a faith-rooted, historically Black community in the Raleigh-Durham corridor and arrive academically prepared to push through the completion bottleneck. Students who need rigorous academic support to finish should evaluate persistence resources carefully before committing.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Shaw University. With a net cost of $16,512 per year and median graduate earnings of only $34,409 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 21.8% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $32,500 against $34,409 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.94 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.