Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina · Public · 78.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 27/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Winston-Salem State University earns the Below Benchmark tier ROI score of 27, with five out of five subscores in concerning territory. The 44.3% repayment rate (subscore 5) is the worst single number on the card, indicating that more than half of borrowers are not making meaningful progress on principal. Despite very low in-state tuition ($6,126) and a modest $13,479 average net price ($53,916 over four years), median 10-year earnings of just $45,344 against $25,000 in median debt produce a 0.791 debt-to-earnings ratio and an 18.7-year payback period. Completion sits at 46.7%. WSSU's HBCU mission and high-Pell student population (64.9%) explain part of the structural difficulty, the school serves a population that faces broader labor-market challenges post-graduation. Nursing and clinical lab science programs produce strong outcomes (B+ and B grades), but the dominant programs (psychology, business, criminal justice) cluster in the D-F range.
How Winston-Salem State University 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 Score27/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period18.7 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Winston-Salem State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $6,126/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $16,782/yr |
| Average net price | $13,479/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $53,916 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $45,344 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $31,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 18.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 46.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 4,170 |
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: $6,126/year ($16,782/year out-of-state), 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 $13,479/year, or roughly $53,916 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 $11,463/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $21,405/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,000, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($31,600) and comes to 0.79, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than 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 | $11,463 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,412 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $14,681 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $18,813 |
| $110,001+ | $21,405 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $11,463 per year, $45,900 over four years. With Pell coverage of low in-state tuition, this is a low-cost four-year credential in North Carolina for low-income students. The 46.7% completion rate is the dominant risk, students who don't finish carry the debt without the credential.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $14,681 and $75,001-$110,000 pays $18,813. Four-year cost runs $58,700 to $75,300, still affordable by national standards. With $45,344 median 10-year earnings, the math is workable for completers in stronger program tracks but tight in the dominant lower-earning majors.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households over $110,000 pay $21,405 per year, $85,600 over four years. Out-of-state tuition is $16,782.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Winston-Salem State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $84,952 | B+ |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $45,182 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $43,313 | D |
| Psychology | $40,797 | F |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $43,292 | D |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | $70,450 | B |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $42,020 | D |
| Social Work | $53,028 | D |
| Biology | $47,527 | D |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $42,179 | D |
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.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing is one of WSSU's largest programs with 158 graduates and earns a B+ ROI grade, the school's strongest single program. First-year earnings of $72,639 climb to $84,952 by year four, very strong for the field. Median debt of $24,082 against these earnings produces a 0.332 debt-to-earnings ratio. Combined with the very low in-state tuition, this is a strong nursing value.
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Health and Medical Administrative Services has 82 graduates and earns a D ROI grade. First-year earnings of $30,863 grow to $45,182 by year four, but $30,500 in median debt produces a 0.988 debt-to-earnings ratio, near the dangerous 1.0 threshold.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology has 76 graduates and earns a D ROI grade. First-year earnings of just $26,467 are low and four-year earnings of $43,313 against $26,000 in median debt produce a 0.982 debt-to-earnings ratio. As nationally, kinesiology graduates typically need additional certification or graduate work to produce viable earnings outcomes.
Psychology
Psychology has 65 graduates and earns an F ROI grade. First-year earnings of just $25,637 and four-year earnings of $40,797 against $27,375 in median debt produce a 1.068 debt-to-earnings ratio, students owe more than annual earnings. As nationally, psychology requires graduate or professional school for viable outcomes, the bachelor's-only path at WSSU is financially difficult.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration has 64 graduates and earns a D ROI grade. First-year earnings of $32,541 grow to $43,292 by year four, modest. With $28,805 in median debt and a 0.885 debt-to-earnings ratio, the credential alone produces a tight financial picture.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 34.6% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 44.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 40.2% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 44.0% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Winston-Salem State University’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 | 78.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 400-500 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 430-520 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 15-20 |
| Enrollment | 4,170 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 64.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,217 |
WSSU admits 78.3% of applicants. SAT mid-50% bands run 400-500 math and 430-520 reading, with ACT composites 15-20. The combination of relatively open admission and low incoming test scores aligns with the 46.7% completion rate, the school accepts a population that includes many academically underprepared students. WSSU's HBCU mission centers on access and educational opportunity for traditionally underserved students.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
WSSU's ten-year earnings are $45,344.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem State University (this school) | 27 | $13,479 | $45,344 |
| Morehouse College | 29 | $39,013 | $52,889 |
| Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 28 | $13,739 | $44,349 |
| Prairie View A & M University | 27 | $13,570 | $45,411 |
| Tuskegee University | 26 | $35,013 | $49,641 |
| Edward Waters University | 15 | $13,649 | $34,782 |
Who Thrives Here
With 4,170 students and a 64.9% Pell rate, WSSU is a mid-size HBCU serving a predominantly Black, working-class North Carolina student population. The school fits Pell-eligible students drawn to the HBCU community and pursuing nursing or allied health credentials at low cost. The $6,126 in-state tuition is genuinely affordable, and WSSU's nursing program (B+ ROI grade, 158 graduates) is a strong value. Students in psychology, communications, or general business should walk in with a clear graduate-school plan or career credential pivot.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Winston-Salem State University scores 27/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $13,479 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $45,344 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 18.7 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 46.7% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.79 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 44.3% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $31,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.79. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Winston-Salem State University: Common Questions
Is Winston-Salem State University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Winston-Salem State University scores 27/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $13,479 a year after aid against $45,344 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 18.7 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Winston-Salem State University 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 $13,479 a year, or roughly $53,916 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 Winston-Salem State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $45,344 ten years after enrolling, roughly $3,544 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Winston-Salem State University?
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 18.7 years for Winston-Salem State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Winston-Salem State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $31,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.79. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Winston-Salem State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 46.7%. 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.