Edward Waters University
#8 Best Colleges for Cross-Class Networks- Graduation Rate
- 28% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $34,782 D+
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $13,649 C+
- 20% less than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 85% C-
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C- overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 15.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $15.3 over 20 years. Ranked #8 in Best Colleges for Cross-Class Networks.
Every $1 spent returns $15.3 over 20 years. Net gain: $782,459.
What The Data Says
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A C- overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduation of 28% — 51% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $15.3 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
About Edward Waters University
Edward Waters University is profiled below with full outcomes data from federal sources.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private College
- Carnegie Class
- Baccalaureate College
- Enrollment
- 1,087
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HBCU · 51
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Psychology, Criminal Justice, Communications
Why students choose Edward Waters 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
Accessible — admits about 85% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $13,649 a year after grants and scholarships — 20% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $34,782 ten years after enrolling — 15% below the typical college.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 0.94 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
Edward Waters University has an acceptance rate of 85%, making it accessible for many students. This welcoming policy encourages diverse enrollment, with 1,087 students currently pursuing their education here.
The Chetty/Opportunity Insights data highlights significant challenges in mobility and outcomes. With a graduation rate of just 28%, many students struggle to complete their degrees. This underscores the need for support systems to help students transition successfully into their careers.
Tuition is set at a net price of $13,649, which can be a burden for students, especially given the lack of data on median debt. Graduates earn an average of $34,782 after ten years, suggesting a need for stronger career services. Students interested in Business, Criminal Justice, Biology, Psychology, and Communications may find a good fit here, but they should be prepared for the hurdles ahead.
Rankings
- #8 Best Colleges for Cross-Class Networks
- #27 Best Biology Colleges in Florida
- #27 Best Communications Colleges in Florida
- #29 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Florida
- #31 Best HBCUs for Psychology
- #32 Best Psychology Colleges in Florida
- #39 Best HBCUs for Communications
- #41 Best Bachelor's Programs in Florida
Can I Get In?
How selective Edward Waters 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 Edward Waters University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Jacksonville, Florida, Edward Waters University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 85%. The graduation rate is roughly 28%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 85%
- Retention Rate
- 54%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 100%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $5,800
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 17:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.27
- First-Gen Students
- 50%
- Applicants
- 8,988
- Admitted
- 7,509
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 Edward Waters University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Edward Waters University is $16,366, 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 $13,649. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $12,380 after need-based grants.
- In-State Tuition
- $16,366
- Out-of-State
- $16,366
- Avg Net Price
- $13,649
- Pell Grant Rate
- 75%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 68%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $12,380
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $12,113
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $9,743
- Family Income $110K+
- $20,865
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 Edward Waters 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 Edward Waters University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Edward Waters University report median earnings of $34,782, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $29,809
- 8 Years
- $32,493
- 10 Years
- $34,782
- Earning > $25K
- 37%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (32)
- 16%
- 100% (32)
- 16%
- 100% (32)
- 16%
- 100% (32)
- 16%
How Edward Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
College ROI Calculator
Is Edward Waters University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Edward Waters University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $13,649/year ($54,596 total). Graduates earn $34,782 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $837,055 in total earnings — a net gain of $782,459 (15.3× your investment).. With a 28% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $54,596
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $837,055
- Net Return
- $782,459
- ROI Multiple
- 15.3×
- Cost Per Year
- $13,649
- Graduation Rate
- 28%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $3,482,848
- Investment Income
- $-668,360
Top Programs
The fields Edward Waters 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 54% $38,471 early-career
- Psychology 15%
- Criminal Justice 15%
- Communications 9%
- Biology & Biomedical 7%
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 Edward Waters 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
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- B-Optometrist$131,860 · 9% growthResilient 96
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Edward Waters University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Jacksonville, Florida, Edward Waters University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 85%. The graduation rate is roughly 28%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Edward Waters University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Edward Waters University is $16,366, 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 $13,649. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $12,380 after need-based grants.
Is Edward Waters University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Edward Waters University report median earnings of $34,782, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
How Connected Is Edward Waters 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 Edward Waters University. Its economic connectedness score is 0.94, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.14), 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
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Edward Waters University.
- Southern University at New OrleansNew Orleans, LA · Close peer16% grad $34,042 earn 79% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Shaw UniversityRaleigh, NC · Close peer21% grad $34,409 earn 80% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Florida Memorial UniversityMiami Gardens, FL · Close peer31% grad $36,624 earn 85% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Bluefield State UniversityBluefield, WV · Close peer36% grad $38,217 earn 97% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- The University of Tennessee SouthernPulaski, TN · Close peer36% grad $38,924 earn 87% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar net price
- Virginia Union UniversityRichmond, VA · Close peer39% grad $38,275 earn 98% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Edward Waters 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 Edward Waters University. Its economic connectedness score is 0.94, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.14), 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.
Research Note