Bowie State University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Bowie, Maryland. It enrolls 5,043 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
59/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes19
Value55
Affordability65
Selectivity32
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 72.4%, Bowie State University is moderately selective.
Acceptance Rate
72.4%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Bowie State University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↑
3.9 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Bowie State University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $19,298 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$19,298
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
44%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
44%
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 (in-state)
$9,218
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$19,938
Room & Board (on-campus)
$12,241
Room & Board (off-campus)
$13,721
Books & Supplies
$2,500
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$1,660
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$1,660
Total Cost of Attendance
$25,220
Application fee: $40 (one-time, due at submission)
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
$17,071
$30,001 – $48,000
$16,646
$48,001 – $75,000
$19,163
$75,001 – $110,000
$22,808
Over $110,000
$24,919
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.
$3,50010%percentile
$5,75025%percentile
$22,985Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$36,79190%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 $13,750
↓ $9,235
No Pell $11,000
↓ $11,985
Dependent students $12,250
↓ $10,735
Independent students $15,750
↓ $7,235
Female students $13,750
↓ $9,235
Male students $11,750
↓ $11,235
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $11,250, less than completers ($22,985), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
30% of full-time students who enrolled at Bowie State University graduate within six years, and 69% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
30%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
69%
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
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Bowie State University earn a median of $54,537 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$54,537
Earning > $25K
78%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
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
$46,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$52,700
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$48,400
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$49,900
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$47,600
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $6,300, about 12% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
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 ↑
11.1 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 50% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Bowie State University is home to 5,043 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 36% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
5,043
Part-Time
15%
First-Generation
36%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Black 81.4%4,107
Hispanic 5.7%287
Other 4.9%249
White 2.7%135
International 1.6%78
Asian 0.9%47
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Bowie State University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbBowie, Maryland
Housing
Partly residential1,900 beds available
Adult Learners
16%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Historically Black College / University (HBCU)
What You Can Study
Bowie State University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
45 distinct programs across
18 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.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Bowie State University is 16:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
16:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$9,643
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$46M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$97,292
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
248 instructional faculty across 5 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
Full Professors
50
20%
$126,904
Associate Professors
63
25%
$101,552
Assistant Professors
100
40%
$88,623
Instructors
6
2%
$93,046
Lecturers
29
12%
$67,751
Pros & Cons of Bowie State University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Bowie State University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Reasonable class sizes
Solid post-graduation earnings
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Frequently Asked Questions about Bowie State University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Bowie State University.
Is Bowie State University hard to get into?
Admissions at Bowie State University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 72.4%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Bowie State University?
Bowie State University has an acceptance rate of 72.4%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Bowie State University cost?
The average net price after aid at Bowie State University is $19,298 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Bowie State University worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $54,537 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $19,298 per year. That's roughly 2.8x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Bowie State University known for?
Bowie State University is best known for its programs in Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Bowie State University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Bowie State University are $54,537, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Bowie State University accredited?
Yes. Bowie State University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Bowie State University?
Bowie State University enrolls 5,043 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Bowie State University?
Bowie State University graduates 30% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Bowie State University a public or private college?
Bowie State University is a Public institution.
Where is Bowie State University located?
Bowie State University is located in Bowie, Maryland.
What programs does Bowie State University offer?
Bowie State University offers 45 distinct programs. The most popular include Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Bowie State University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Bowie State University is 16:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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