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Chowan University

Private nonprofit Murfreesboro, NC · Rural · Southeast · 100% data
B- Diversity B- Selectivity C+ Affordability
Graduation Rate
29% F
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$38,412 C-
Below average for college graduates
Net Price
$14,086 C+
18% less than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
69% B-
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings -6% vs avg
Graduation -49% vs avg
Net Price +-18% vs avg

Bottom line: A C overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 18.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $18.7 over 20 years.

18.7× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $18.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $999,850.

What The Data Says

  1. A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Graduation of 29% — 49% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $18.7 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Chowan University Matters

Chowan University is a private college in Murfreesboro, NC and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by an above-average alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Private College
Carnegie Class
Baccalaureate College
Enrollment
603
Setting
Rural
Designations
75
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Psychology, Visual & Performing Arts, Humanities

Why students choose Chowan University

Close mentorship
A small, undergraduate-focused community
Strength in Business & Marketing
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C
Top 51% overall
C-
Earnings
$38,412 median
C
Value
2.7× net price
C+
Affordability
$14,086/yr net
F
Graduation
29% graduate
B-
Selectivity
69% admit rate
B-
Diversity
0.67 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Chowan University, located in Murfreesboro, NC, is a good fit for students looking for a tight-knit community and a personalized educational experience. With an enrollment of just 603 students and a 69% acceptance rate, you’ll find a supportive atmosphere that allows for more interaction with faculty and peers. Popular academic programs include Business & Marketing, Criminal Justice, Humanities, Visual & Performing Arts, and Psychology, giving students a range of options to explore their interests and career paths.

Looking ahead after graduation, many students earn an average salary of $38,412 within ten years of finishing their degree. While the graduation rate sits at 29%, those who do complete their programs often see promising career advancement opportunities. It’s also important to note that 57% of students receive Pell Grants, which can significantly ease the financial burden of college.

When it comes to the cost, the net price after financial aid is around $14,086, which can make Chowan a more accessible option for many families. However, the average debt load at graduation is $29,491, so it’s crucial for students to consider their financial plans carefully. Students who thrive here are often those who appreciate a smaller campus culture and are looking for a more intimate learning environment where they can grow both academically and personally.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Chowan University is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Chowan University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Chowan University, located in Murfreesboro, North Carolina, offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 69% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 18. The graduation rate is roughly 29%.

Acceptance Rate
69%
Retention Rate
71%
ACT Midpoint
18
Full-Time Faculty
100%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$7,034
Student–Faculty Ratio
16:1
Diversity Index
0.67
First-Gen Students
37%
Applicants
2,259
Admitted
1,958

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Chowan University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Chowan University is $27,910, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $14,086. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $13,726 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $29,491 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$27,910
Out-of-State
$27,910
Avg Net Price
$14,086
Median Debt
$29,491
Pell Grant Rate
57%
Federal Loan Rate
57%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$13,726
Family Income $30K–$48K
$10,950
Family Income $48K–$75K
$14,549
Family Income $110K+
$19,713

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Chowan University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Chowan University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Chowan University report median earnings of $38,412, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$30,096
8 Years
$34,849
10 Years
$38,412
Debt-to-Earnings
0.77x
Earning > $25K
46%

Earnings Trajectory

$30,096 6yr $34,849 8yr $38,412 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (83)
16%
100% (83)
16%
100% (83)
16%
100% (83)
16%

How Chowan Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation29%Earnings 10yr$38KNet Price$14KRetention71%Median Debt$29KPell Grant Rate57%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$14K$0-30K$11K$30-48K$15K$48-75K$20K$110K+

College ROI Calculator

Is Chowan University Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Chowan University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $14,086/year ($56,344 total). Graduates earn $38,412 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,056,194 in total earnings — a net gain of $999,850 (18.7× your investment). The median debt is $29,491, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 29% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$56,344
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,056,194
Net Return
$999,850
ROI Multiple
18.7×
Cost Per Year
$14,086
Median Debt
$29,491
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
29%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Chowan University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Chowan University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.15, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.15
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.04
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
2.7%
Support Ratio
1.00
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Federal Grants
$938,053
Investment Income
$1,530,500

Top Programs

The fields Chowan University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Chowan University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Chowan University, located in Murfreesboro, North Carolina, offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 69% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 18. The graduation rate is roughly 29%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Chowan University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Chowan University is $27,910, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $14,086. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $13,726 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $29,491 in federal student loans.

Is Chowan University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Chowan University report median earnings of $38,412, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

How Connected Is Chowan University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Chowan University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.15, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

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