Spelman College
Atlanta, GA 30314-4399
About Spelman College
Spelman College is a private university in Atlanta, Georgia, serving roughly 3,414 students. Admission is selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 24.87% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $59,993 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Spelman College charges 8% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($31,556).
- Versus the Georgia median, sticker tuition is about 3.7×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 78.46%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $59,993.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Spelman College is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 285% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spelman College | $31,556 | $38,967 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| Georgia (state median) | $8,492 | $9,196 | 117 |
| Urban (City) (locale median) | $15,200 | $20,053 | 1,346 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Spelman College really?
Key findings
- Spelman College charges 8% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($31,556).
- Versus the Georgia median, sticker tuition is about 3.7×.
Spelman College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $31,556
Finding Spelman College charges 8% above the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $31,556. That is 8% above the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the Georgia median ($8,492), sticker tuition is about 3.7×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 2.7×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Spelman College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Spelman College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Spelman College is $38,967.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $38,967 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $29,770 above the Georgia median net price. Versus urban (city) campuses, net price runs $18,914 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Spelman College, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Spelman College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Spelman College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$31,556
Avg. net price
$38,967
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $32,923 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $34,108 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $36,602 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $38,640 |
| $110,001+ | $44,529 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $126,224. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Spelman College is known for
Top program completions
- Project Management231
- Business Administration and Management, General134
- Organizational Leadership109
- Psychology, General89
- Political Science and Government, General62
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Highly selective — fewer than 3 in 10 applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 20% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1220
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Spelman College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Spelman College is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Spelman College.
Campus
Location
Atlanta, GA
City / state
- ZIP
- 30314-4399
- NCES locale
- City
Compared with Urban (City) campuses nationally, net price is about 1.9× the median for Urban (City) campuses ($20,053 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields
Size
Enrollment
3,414
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 3,649
- Full-time share
- 78%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$25,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 27.83%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Spelman College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Spelman College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Spelman College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $24,634 | $24,634 | $31,923 |
| 2014 | $25,496 | $25,496 | $34,308 |
| 2015 | $26,388 | $26,388 | $34,232 |
| 2016 | $27,314 | $27,314 | $36,362 |
| 2017 | $28,181 | $28,181 | $40,440 |
| 2018 | $29,064 | $29,064 | $40,840 |
| 2019 | $29,972 | $29,972 | $43,843 |
| 2020 | $29,972 | $29,972 | $44,833 |
| 2021 | $28,181 | $28,181 | $29,102 |
| 2022 | $28,885 | $28,885 | $38,319 |
| 2023 | $30,058 | $30,058 | $36,828 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution is highly selective, accepting fewer than 3 in 10 applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1220 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.45
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Spelman College reported total enrollment of about 3,414 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 5% male and 95% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Black or African American (85.6%), White (5.1%), and Race/ethnicity unknown (2.8%). About 27.83% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 20.7% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
77.7% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Spelman College in 2024 is 3,414 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 3,649 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
94.1%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
69.53% 100% Completion Time
78.46% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 69.53% of students graduating from Spelman College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Project Management: 26% male / 74% female
- Business Administration and Management, General: 19% male / 81% female
- Organizational Leadership: 16% male / 84% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Spelman College graduates earn a median of $59,993 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Spelman College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $59,993. Median federal loan debt: $25,000. Average net price used in cost models: $38,967.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Spelman College graduates report median earnings of $59,993 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Spelman College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (39 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Spelman College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Spelman College graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Spelman College—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$514M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Georgia median 12× the median ($41.7M)
- Southeast median 26× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 19× the median ($26.4M)
- Georgia median 19× the median ($9,839)
- Southeast median 20× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 16× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 69.5%
- Georgia median 7.2 pp above median (62.3%)
- Southeast median 10.1 pp above median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 11.6 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $9,558
- Georgia median 1.6× the median ($6,152)
- Southeast median 1.4× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 1.3× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $15,850
- Georgia median 2.8× the median ($5,760)
- Southeast median 2.4× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 2.2× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Spelman College at a glance
Spelman College
Spelman College is a private non-profit institution in Atlanta, GA, classified as Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Project ManagementBusiness Administration and Management, GeneralOrganizational Leadership
- Largest enrollment groups
- Black or African American85.6%White or Caucasian5.1%Race/ethnicity unknown2.8%
- Opportunity College (2025)
- Higher access & higher earnings · Browse OCU directory
Schools near Spelman College
Other campuses in Atlanta, GA when available, plus nearby institutions in Georgia.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade B) within Georgia, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Spelman College located?
Spelman College is located in Atlanta, GA.
What is Spelman College's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Spelman College is 24.9% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 10,610 applicants and 3,617 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Spelman College's tuition?
Spelman College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $31,556 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $38,967 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Spelman College cost?
Reported tuition is $31,556 and average net price is $38,967 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $18,091 annually.
What explains Spelman College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($38,967), completion (78.5% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($59,993). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Spelman College?
Spelman College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 3,649 students, Black or African American (85.6%), White (5.1%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Spelman College?
About 20.7% of students at Spelman College are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Spelman College?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Spelman College reports midpoint SAT about 1220.
What do graduates of Spelman College earn?
Median earnings are $45,676 six years after entry and $59,993 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Spelman College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 78.5% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Spelman College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $25,000.
Is Spelman College public or private?
Spelman College is a private nonprofit institution located in Atlanta, GA.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.