Tougaloo College
Tougaloo, Mississippi · Private Nonprofit · 59.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 7/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Tougaloo College scores 7 (Poor Value) - the lowest CampusROI score in our dataset and among the lowest in the entire database. Every metric signals severe financial distress for enrolled students. Median 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 - median debt ($30,046) exceeds median annual earnings. 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 62.7% Pell grant rate is among the highest in this dataset - nearly two-thirds of enrolled students are from lower-income families who face the greatest financial harm from these outcomes. 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.
The data raises concerns about Tougaloo College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score7/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.19 - Advisors recommend total student debt stay below one year of salary (ratio under 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate33.1% - 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.
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 |
| Median 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. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $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.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $30,046 in federal loans, which works out to about $319 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $34,724 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 1.19, which is high - the rule of thumb is that total debt should not top your first-year salary, and this is over that line.
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 median 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. Lower-income Mississippi students considering Tougaloo should compare outcomes against Jackson State University and Alcorn State University, both of which have stronger Scorecard profiles.
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 | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 54.5% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 50.5% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 42.1% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 44.2% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Tougaloo College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
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.
Tougaloo's peer set includes Belhaven University, Blue Mountain Christian University, Texas College, Wiley University, and Jarvis Christian University - all small private institutions in the South with modest selectivity. Among this peer group of small Southern privates and HBCUs, Tougaloo's 7 score reflects the most acute combination of low completion, high debt-to-earnings, and incalculable payback. Texas College and Wiley University face similar structural challenges. The institutional peer context - small HBCUs in underserved Southern markets - provides relevant comparison, but the severity of the financial distress indicators at Tougaloo places it in a distinct category even within this peer group.
| 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: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Tougaloo College are a real concern. With a net cost of $17,043 per year and the typical graduate earning only $34,724 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 33.1% graduation rate, high debt relative to what graduates earn, concerning loan repayment rates, a long payback period.
Be careful with the debt here. A median $30,046 owed against $34,724 in earnings is heavy, and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.87 is past the level advisors flag. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
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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.