Claflin University
#6 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in South Carolina- Graduation Rate
- 50% C-
- About half of students who start complete their degree
- Earnings (10yr)
- $40,304 C
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $17,800 C
- Close to the national average
- Acceptance Rate
- 65% B-
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 17.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $17.7 over 20 years. Ranked #6 in Best Criminal Justice Colleges in South Carolina.
Every $1 spent returns $17.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,189,831.
What The Data Says
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A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Social mobility rate of 3.59% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
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Every $1 invested returns $17.7 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Claflin University Matters
Claflin University is a private liberal arts college in Orangeburg, SC and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: durable upward mobility for the students it enrolls.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Liberal Arts College
- Carnegie Class
- Baccalaureate · Arts & Sciences
- Enrollment
- 1,706
- Setting
- Town
- Designations
- HBCU · 71
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Biology & Biomedical, Health Professions, Psychology
Why students choose Claflin University
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 65% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $17,800 a year after grants and scholarships — 4% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $40,304 ten years after enrolling — 1% below the typical college, against $29,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 3.6% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 5% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.99 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina, is a great fit for students who are looking for a supportive community and a chance to explore diverse fields. With an enrollment of just over 1,700 students, it offers a more personalized experience in key areas such as Psychology, Business and Marketing, Biology and Biomedical studies, Health Professions, and Criminal Justice. The acceptance rate of 65% suggests that while the school has standards, it remains accessible to a wide range of applicants.
When it comes to life after graduation, Claflin graduates earn an average of $40,304 within ten years of finishing their degrees. This figure reflects a solid return on investment, especially considering the affordability of education here. Many students benefit from the Pell Grant, with 73% receiving financial aid, which helps ease the burden of college costs and can lead to upward mobility in their careers.
On the practical side, the net price after aid is around $17,800, which is quite manageable compared to the median debt of $29,000. This means that students are not only able to pursue their degrees but can do so without an overwhelming financial burden. Those who tend to thrive here are often motivated individuals who seek to engage deeply with their studies and take advantage of the supportive environment Claflin offers.
Rankings
- #6 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in South Carolina
- #10 Best Communications Colleges in South Carolina
- #13 Best Biology Colleges in South Carolina
- #14 Best HBCUs for Biology
- #14 Best Computer Science Colleges in South Carolina
- #14 Best Data Science Colleges in South Carolina
- #17 Best HBCUs for Visual
- #17 Best HBCUs for Graphic Design
Can I Get In?
How selective Claflin University is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Claflin University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Orangeburg, South Carolina, Claflin University offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 65% of applicants receiving an offer. The graduation rate is roughly 50%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 65%
- Retention Rate
- 75%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 72%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $7,329
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 13:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.20
- First-Gen Students
- 32%
- Applicants
- 7,568
- Admitted
- 5,903
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 Claflin University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Claflin University is $18,282, 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 $17,800. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $16,354 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $29,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $18,282
- Out-of-State
- $18,282
- Avg Net Price
- $17,800
- Median Debt
- $29,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 73%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 74%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $16,354
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $21,118
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $22,279
- Family Income $110K+
- $25,071
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 Claflin University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Claflin University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Claflin University report median earnings of $40,304, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $29,227
- 8 Years
- $36,336
- 10 Years
- $40,304
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.72x
- Earning > $25K
- 45%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (144)
- 37%
- 100% (144)
- 37%
- 100% (144)
- 37%
- 100% (144)
- 37%
How Claflin Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Claflin University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Claflin University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $17,800/year ($71,200 total). Graduates earn $40,304 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,261,031 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,189,831 (17.7× your investment). The median debt is $29,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 50% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $71,200
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,261,031
- Net Return
- $1,189,831
- ROI Multiple
- 17.7×
- Cost Per Year
- $17,800
- Median Debt
- $29,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 50%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Claflin University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Claflin University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.59%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 31.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 11.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $35,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 3.59%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 11.4%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 31.6%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $48,096
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-7,449,916
Top Programs
The fields Claflin 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.
- Business & Marketing 15% $47,109 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 15% $32,647 early-career
- Health Professions 13% $78,257 early-career
- Psychology 12% $34,410 early-career
- Criminal Justice 8% $35,271 early-career
- Education 7% $39,544 early-career
- Communications 4% $29,935 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 3%
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.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Claflin University's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Claflin University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Orangeburg, South Carolina, Claflin University offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 65% of applicants receiving an offer. The graduation rate is roughly 50%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Claflin University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Claflin University is $18,282, 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 $17,800. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $16,354 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $29,000 in federal student loans.
Is Claflin University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Claflin University report median earnings of $40,304, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Claflin University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Claflin University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.59%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 31.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 11.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $35,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Claflin University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at Claflin University. Its economic connectedness score is 0.99, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.09), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Claflin University.
- North Greenville UniversityTigerville, SC · Close peer55% grad $43,035 earn 67% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- William Carey UniversityHattiesburg, MS · Close peer51% grad $43,087 earn 60% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Elizabeth City State UniversityElizabeth City, NC · Close peer46% grad $40,026 earn 64% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Gardner-Webb UniversityBoiling Springs, NC · Close peer59% grad $48,039 earn 77% acceptWhy: similar grad rate · similar size · similar net price
- University of MontevalloMontevallo, AL · Close peer52% grad $42,957 earn 54% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Southern Arkansas University Main CampusMagnolia, AR · Close peer48% grad $42,386 earn 75% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Claflin University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at Claflin University. Its economic connectedness score is 0.99, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.09), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note