Private Nonprofit Graduate Good 63/100

Allen University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Columbia, South Carolina

About Allen University

Thinking about Allen University, a college in South Carolina where more students graduate in Business than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Allen University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Columbia, South Carolina. It enrolls 576 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
72.5%
Graduation
21.6%
Net Price
$10,972
Median Earnings (10yr)
$30,497
Enrollment
576
Student : Faculty
16:1

Accreditor Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Good
63/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 10
Value 54
Affordability 94
Selectivity 57

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Allen University admits 72.5% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.

Acceptance Rate
72.5%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test Policy Test Optional Applicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Allen University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Getting more selective ↓ 21.1 pts since 2019
53.3%201964.6%202056.6%202143.4%202232.1%2023

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $10,972 a year on average, it sits below what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$10,972
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
77%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
80%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees
$14,304
Room & Board (on-campus)
$8,584
Room & Board (off-campus)
$6,000
Books & Supplies
$1,308
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,500
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,000
Total Cost of Attendance
$23,998

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $10,553
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $9,375
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $12,610
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $12,976
  • Over $110,000
    $13,298

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$3,750
10% percentile
$8,525
25% percentile
$34,290
Median percentile
$35,000
75% percentile
$45,000
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $12,250 ↓ $22,040
No Pell $6,500 ↓ $27,790
Dependent students $10,480 ↓ $23,810
Independent students $19,000 ↓ $15,290
Female students $12,288 ↓ $22,002
Male students $10,250 ↓ $24,040
Pell recipients: 17.3% (5,936 students)No Pell: 9.2% (3,150 students)Dependent students: 14.8% (5,078 students)Independent students: 26.8% (9,206 students)Female students: 17.4% (5,954 students)Male students: 14.5% (4,967 students)Overall Median$34,290
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,500, less than completers ($34,290), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

22% of students who start here finish within six years, and 67% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
22%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
67%
Returning for their second year
What this means: Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $30,497 a year, below the national median. Weigh that against the cost above before taking on debt here. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$30,497
Earning > $25K
51%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$23,000$25,000$27,000$29,000$31,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$23,800

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$27,500

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 9.0 pts across 6 years
11.6%1yr22.9%3yr34.1%5yr20.6%7yr
What this signals: Concerning. Only 21% of graduates are actively reducing principal even seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 576 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 51% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled
576
Part-Time
3%
First-Generation
51%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
Black 91.8% 529
Hispanic 4.2% 24
International 1.6% 9
Other 0.9% 5
White 0.7% 4
Black: 91.8% (529 students)Hispanic: 4.2% (24 students)International: 1.6% (9 students)Other: 0.9% (5 students)White: 0.7% (4 students)Total576

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Allen University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Midsize City Columbia, South Carolina
Housing
Strongly residential 425 beds for 576 students
Adult Learners
7% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Historically Black College / University (HBCU)
Designation
Religiously affiliated

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Biology graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Allen University offers a focused set of programs: 9 distinct programs across 9 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

1 Program
1 Program
1 Program
1 Program
1 Program
  • Music $43K ($26K–$59K)
1 Program
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

There are 16 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
16:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$53M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$47,729
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

35 instructional faculty across 3 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Associate Professors 4 11% $61,188
Assistant Professors 25 71% $45,679
Instructors 6 17% $47,300

Pros & Cons of Allen University

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Allen University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Below-average net price
  • Reasonable class sizes
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
  • First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • First-year retention is below typical
  • Below-average post-graduation earnings
  • Higher than typical student debt at graduation
Best for: Based on the data, Allen University is a fit for students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Allen University

The questions families ask most about Allen University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Allen University hard to get into?
Admissions at Allen University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 72.5%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Allen University?
72.5% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
How much does Allen University cost?
Budget around $10,972 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Allen University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $30,497 a year against a net price of $10,972, about 2.8 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Allen University known for?
Mostly Business Administration, Biology, Kinesiology. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Allen University graduates earn?
About $30,497 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Allen University accredited?
Yes. Allen University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Allen University?
576 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Allen University?
22% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Allen University a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Allen University located?
Allen University is located in Columbia, South Carolina.
What programs does Allen University offer?
9 different programs, most commonly Business Administration, Biology, Kinesiology. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Allen University?
16 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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