Private Nonprofit Graduate Fair 52/100

Shaw University

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

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Raleigh, North Carolina

About Shaw University

Thinking about Shaw University, a college in North 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.

Shaw University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Raleigh, North Carolina. It enrolls 875 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
80.2%
Graduation
21.6%
Net Price
$16,512
Median Earnings (10yr)
$34,409
Enrollment
875
Student : Faculty
11:1

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.

Fair
52/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 4
Value 23
Affordability 81
Selectivity 42

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Shaw University admits 80.2% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.

Acceptance Rate
80.2%
Easy
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 Shaw University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Getting more selective ↓ 32.9 pts since 2019
63.4%201970.6%202065.3%202161%202230.5%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 $16,512 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
$16,512
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
66%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
71%
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
$17,538
Room & Board (on-campus)
$9,210
Room & Board (off-campus)
$8,100
Books & Supplies
$1,300
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,440
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,390
Total Cost of Attendance
$30,861

Application fee: $25 (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
    $16,236
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $16,276
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $21,145
  • Over $110,000
    $24,966

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.

$4,750
10% percentile
$5,500
25% percentile
$32,500
Median percentile
$30,000
75% percentile
$44,000
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 $20,000 ↓ $12,500
No Pell $10,690 ↓ $21,810
Dependent students $18,500 ↓ $14,000
Independent students $25,910 ↓ $6,590
Female students $21,500 ↓ $11,000
Male students $15,484 ↓ $17,016
Pell recipients: 17.8% (5,799 students)No Pell: 9.5% (3,100 students)Dependent students: 16.5% (5,364 students)Independent students: 23.1% (7,513 students)Female students: 19.2% (6,234 students)Male students: 13.8% (4,490 students)Overall Median$32,500
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $12,250, less than completers ($32,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

22% of students who start here finish within six years, and 54% 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
54%
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 $34,409 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)
$34,409
Earning > $25K
58%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

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

$25,000$28,000$30,000$33,000$36,0006 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
$30,100

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

Male graduates
$31,100

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


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$26,400

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$34,800

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$34,400

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

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 ↑ 21.7 pts across 6 years
19%1yr29.2%3yr32.9%5yr40.7%7yr
What this signals: Concerning. Only 41% of graduates are actively reducing principal even seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 875 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 40% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled
875
Part-Time
6%
First-Generation
40%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

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

GroupShareStudents
Black 71.9% 629
International 9.0% 79
Hispanic 5.8% 51
Other 4.2% 37
White 1.7% 15
Asian 0.5% 4
Black: 71.9% (629 students)International: 9.0% (79 students)Hispanic: 5.8% (51 students)Other: 4.2% (37 students)White: 1.7% (15 students)Asian: 0.5% (4 students)Total875

Student Life & Campus Culture

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

Setting
Large City Raleigh, North Carolina
Housing
Strongly residential 773 beds for 875 students
Adult Learners
14% 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 Theology graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Shaw University offers a varied set of programs: 20 distinct programs across 13 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.

2 Programs
2 Programs
2 Programs
1 Program
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

There are 11 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
11:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$51M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$46,409
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

57 instructional faculty across 4 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 1 2% $39,848
Associate Professors 8 14% $46,561
Assistant Professors 34 60% $49,134
Instructors 14 25% $40,171

Pros & Cons of Shaw University

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Shaw 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
  • Accessible admissions for most applicants
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • 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, Shaw University is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Shaw University

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

Is Shaw University hard to get into?
Not especially. Shaw University admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 80.2%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Shaw University?
80.2% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
How much does Shaw University cost?
Budget around $16,512 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 Shaw University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $34,409 a year against a net price of $16,512, about 2.1 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 Shaw University known for?
Mostly Business Administration, Theology, Communication & Media. 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 Shaw University graduates earn?
About $34,409 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 Shaw University accredited?
Yes. Shaw University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Shaw University?
875 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 Shaw 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 Shaw 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 Shaw University located?
Shaw University is located in Raleigh, North Carolina.
What programs does Shaw University offer?
20 different programs, most commonly Business Administration, Theology, Communication & Media. 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 Shaw University?
11 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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