Spelman College
#1 Best HBCUs for Business- Graduation Rate
- 77% B+
- Solid completion rate — most students graduate
- Earnings (10yr)
- $59,993 B+
- Well above the typical college graduate
- Net Price
- $38,967 F
- 127% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 25% A
- Admits roughly 25% — highly selective
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 11.1× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $11.1 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best HBCUs for Business.
Every $1 spent returns $11.1 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,572,052.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Earnings 47% above the national college median.
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A 77% graduation rate — 35% above the national average.
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Social mobility rate of 3.29% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
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Every $1 invested returns $11.1 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Spelman College Matters
Spelman College is a private liberal arts college in Atlanta, GA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by selective admissions, a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network, and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
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
- 3,414
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HBCU
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Social Sciences, Psychology, Biology & Biomedical
Why students choose Spelman College
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
Selective — admits about 25% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1108–1320. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $38,967 a year after grants and scholarships — 127% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $59,993 ten years after enrolling — 47% above the typical college, against $25,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 3.3% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 8% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.58 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Seventy-seven percent of students graduate from Spelman College, a strong indicator of student success. With an acceptance rate of 25%, this private nonprofit institution in Atlanta attracts a competitive applicant pool. Students benefit from a supportive environment that prioritizes academic achievement and personal growth.
The Chetty/Opportunity Insights data highlights Spelman College's ability to uplift students from low-income backgrounds. While specific mobility rates are not available, the college’s focus on empowering women of color positions graduates for success in the workforce and beyond. Graduates can expect to earn an average of $59,993 within ten years of completing their degree.
Attending Spelman comes with a net price of $38,967 and a median debt of $25,000. Financial aid is available, with 28% of students receiving Pell Grants. Those who thrive here are often driven, ambitious, and focused on fields like Business, Social Sciences, Psychology, and Health Professions.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Spelman College 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 Spelman College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Spelman College, located in Atlanta, Georgia, sets a competitive bar: about 25% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,220. The graduation rate is roughly 77%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 25%
- Retention Rate
- 94%
- SAT Average
- 1220
- SAT Range
- 1108–1320
- ACT Range
- 22–29
- Full-Time Faculty
- 70%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $9,558
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 11:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.26
- First-Gen Students
- 21%
- Applicants
- 13,649
- Admitted
- 3,875
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 Spelman College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Spelman College is $31,556, 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 $38,967. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $32,923 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $25,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $31,556
- Out-of-State
- $31,556
- Avg Net Price
- $38,967
- Median Debt
- $25,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 28%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 48%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $32,923
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $34,108
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $36,602
- Family Income $110K+
- $44,529
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Spelman College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Spelman College earn a median of $59,993, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $45,676
- 8 Years
- $54,188
- 10 Years
- $59,993
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.42x
- Earning > $25K
- 62%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (357)
- 65%
- 100% (357)
- 65%
- 100% (357)
- 65%
- 100% (357)
- 65%
How Spelman 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 Spelman College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Spelman College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $38,967/year ($155,868 total). Graduates earn $59,993 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,727,920 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,572,052 (11.1× your investment). The median debt is $25,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 77% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $155,868
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,727,920
- Net Return
- $1,572,052
- ROI Multiple
- 11.1×
- Cost Per Year
- $38,967
- Median Debt
- $25,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 77%
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 Spelman College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Spelman College 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 3.29%, among the highest in the country. About 9.4% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 34.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $84,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 3.29%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 34.9%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 9.4%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $84,500
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-61,159,918
Top Programs
The fields Spelman College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.
- Business & Marketing 36%
- Social Sciences 15%
- Psychology 11%
- Biology & Biomedical 7%
- Health Professions 7%
- Visual & Performing Arts 4%
- English & Literature 4%
- Computer Science & IT 3%
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Spelman College'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+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Spelman College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Spelman College, located in Atlanta, Georgia, sets a competitive bar: about 25% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,220. The graduation rate is roughly 77%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Spelman College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Spelman College is $31,556, 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 $38,967. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $32,923 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $25,000 in federal student loans.
Is Spelman College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Spelman College earn a median of $59,993, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Spelman College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Spelman College 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 3.29%, among the highest in the country. About 9.4% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 34.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $84,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Spelman College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Spelman College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.58, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Spelman College.
- Oberlin CollegeOberlin, OH · Close peer80% grad $58,343 earn 34% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Morehouse CollegeAtlanta, GA · Close peer56% grad $52,889 earn 44% acceptWhy: similar net price · same state
- Skidmore CollegeSaratoga Springs, NY · Close peer82% grad $69,363 earn 21% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Rollins CollegeWinter Park, FL · Close peer76% grad $58,295 earn 48% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate
- Tulane University of LouisianaNew Orleans, LA · Close peer88% grad $63,268 earn 14% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA · Close peer89% grad $64,027 earn 21% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Spelman College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Spelman College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.58, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note