Tougaloo College
Tougaloo, Mississippi · Private Nonprofit · 59.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 7/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Tougaloo College scores 7 (Below Benchmark). The completion, earnings, and repayment figures behind that score follow. Average 6-year earnings are $25,300. The payback period is coded as 999 - Scorecard cannot identify a finite payback at this earnings level and cost. The debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.188. The three-year repayment rate of 50.5% means essentially half of borrowers are not reducing principal at three years. The completion rate is 33.1% - fewer than one in three enrolled students graduates. Net price of $17,043 is higher than the $12,407 sticker tuition, indicating fees and non-tuition costs are substantial. The Pell grant rate is 62.7%, and nearly two-thirds of enrolled students are from lower-income families. Tougaloo is a historically Black college (HBCU) in Mississippi with 639 students and 59.9% admission. Scorecard reports only one program: Sociology (13 graduates, F-grade, DTR 1.018, debt $42,875). The institutional significance of Tougaloo - its HBCU mission, civil rights history, and role in Mississippi's Black educational history - is real and not captured by Scorecard data.
How Tougaloo College 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 Score7/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.19 - Median debt is larger than one year of average earnings six years after entry (a ratio above 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate33.1% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
- Payback period>50 years - In our estimate, the earnings premium over a high school completer is small next to the cost, so the cost may not be recouped within a working career.
Tougaloo College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $12,407/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $12,407/yr |
| Average net price | $17,043/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $68,172 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $34,724 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $25,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $30,046 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $319 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 33.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 639 |
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: $12,407/year, 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 $17,043/year, or roughly $68,172 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 $17,294/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $16,266/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $30,046, which works out to about $319 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($25,300) and comes to 1.19, 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least 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 | $17,294 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,523 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,744 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $14,396 |
| $110,001+ | $16,266 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $17,294 per year at Tougaloo - higher than the $12,407 sticker, indicating fees or living costs drive total cost above tuition. Over four years, roughly $69,000. Against $25,300 average earnings and a payback period that cannot be calculated (coded as 999), this represents severe financial risk for lower-income students. The 62.7% Pell rate means this is the dominant family income bracket at Tougaloo.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-75,000 bracket pays $17,744; the $75,001-110,000 bracket pays $14,396 - the lowest net price bracket, with an unusual inversion suggesting aid formula effects or data anomalies. The net prices are relatively consistent across brackets, which is unusual and may reflect limited grant aid differentiation. At $14,000-$18,000 per year, Tougaloo's prices are not excessive in absolute terms, but the combination of 33.1% completion and incalculable payback period makes the financial risk high regardless of family income.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families over $110,000 pay $16,266 per year. The mission-driven reasons to attend Tougaloo - its HBCU identity, civil rights heritage, and Mississippi Black community connections - may carry real weight for families with these values. The Scorecard data does not capture those benefits, but families with resources should make this choice with full knowledge of the completion and repayment profile.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at Tougaloo College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Sociology | $42,121 | 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.
Sociology
Sociology is the only Scorecard-reported program at Tougaloo: 13 graduates, $42,121 at year four (year-one not reported), debt-to-earnings ratio 1.018 (ROI grade F). Median debt of $42,875 is very high - substantially above the institutional median debt of $30,046, suggesting this cohort borrowed heavily. The F grade reflects debt that essentially matches or exceeds four-year earnings. Very small cohort limits the reliability of this data for prospective students. Students interested in sociology at Tougaloo should request graduate-specific debt and income data directly from the institution.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 54.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 50.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 42.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 44.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Tougaloo 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 | 59.9% |
| Enrollment | 639 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 62.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $4,012 |
Tougaloo admits 59.9% of applicants. Scorecard does not report test score ranges. The completion rate of 33.1% is the most critical data point for any prospective student: two-thirds of students who enroll do not graduate, meaning most students will face the financial consequences of college attendance without the earnings benefit of the credential. Prospective students should ask Tougaloo directly for current retention and graduation rate data, financial aid packaging, and typical graduate outcomes in their intended field before enrolling.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tougaloo College (this school) | 7 | $17,043 | $34,724 |
| Southern University at New Orleans | 8 | $14,810 | $34,042 |
| Florida Memorial University | 7 | $23,238 | $36,624 |
| Stillman College | 6 | $15,258 | $35,421 |
| Bennett College | 6 | $28,299 | $36,654 |
| Saint Augustine's University | 6 | $24,313 | $35,730 |
Who Thrives Here
Tougaloo admits 59.9% of applicants. Scorecard does not report test score ranges. At 639 students, it is a small HBCU with strong historical significance in Mississippi and the broader civil rights movement. The 62.7% Pell rate reflects an overwhelmingly lower-income student body. Students choosing Tougaloo for its mission, community, and historical identity may find real value in the institution that the Scorecard cannot measure. However, prospective students must approach the financial data with clear eyes: a 33.1% completion rate and debt-to-earnings ratio above 1.0 represent serious financial risk, particularly for the lower-income students who make up most of the enrollment.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Tougaloo College scores 7/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $17,043 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $34,724 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 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: weak earnings relative to cost, its 33.1% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.19 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 50.5% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $30,046 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $25,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.19. That is 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings, so your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Tougaloo College: Common Questions
Is Tougaloo College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Tougaloo College scores 7/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $17,043 a year after aid against $34,724 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Tougaloo College 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 $17,043 a year, or roughly $68,172 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 Tougaloo College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $34,724 ten years after enrolling, at or below 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 Tougaloo 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 more than 50 years for Tougaloo College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Tougaloo College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $30,046, against average earnings of $25,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.19. That is 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings, so how much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Tougaloo College?
The six-year graduation rate is 33.1%. 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.