Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte
Charlotte, NC 28202
About Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte is a private two-year college in Charlotte, North Carolina, enrolling about 1,184 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Typical net price after grant aid is about $27,426 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $42,419. Student demographics in federal data include Black or African American (41.8%) and White (33.5%) among the largest enrollment groups.
Key findings
- Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte charges 45% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($42,419).
- Versus the North Carolina median, sticker tuition is about 6.1×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 48.97%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $43,418.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 296% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte | $42,419 | $27,426 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| North Carolina (state median) | $6,906 | $6,820 | 133 |
| 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.
Average net price is 35% below published tuition at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte
Key findings
- Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte's average net price ($27,426) is 35% below published tuition ($42,419).
- Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte charges 45% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($42,419).
- Versus the North Carolina median, sticker tuition is about 6.1×.
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $42,419
Finding Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte charges 45% above the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $42,419. That is 45% above the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the North Carolina median ($6,906), sticker tuition is about 6.1×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 3.6×.
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 Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte is $27,426.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $27,426 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $20,606 above the North Carolina median net price. Versus urban (city) campuses, net price runs $7,373 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 Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 35% lower after grants and scholarships.
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte—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
$42,419
Avg. net price
$27,426
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $23,414 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $24,568 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $25,109 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $30,117 |
| $110,001+ | $33,680 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $169,676. 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 Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte is known for
Top program completions
- Culinary Arts/Chef Training87
- Baking and Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry Chef70
- Foodservice Systems Administration/Management42
- Small Business Administration/Management27
- Business Administration and Management, General13
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 12% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1007
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte 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 Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte.
Campus
Location
Charlotte, NC
City / state
- ZIP
- 28202
- NCES locale
- City
Compared with Urban (City) campuses nationally, net price is 37% above the median for Urban (City) campuses ($20,053 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Special Focus Four-Year: Faith-Related Institutions
Size
Enrollment
1,184
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 1,286
- Full-time share
- 97%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$26,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 52.39%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte.
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 Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte 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 Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte 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 | $27,456 | $27,456 | $23,355 |
| 2014 | $28,539 | $28,539 | $24,447 |
| 2015 | $29,576 | $29,576 | $24,594 |
| 2016 | $30,746 | $30,746 | $25,433 |
| 2017 | $31,508 | $31,508 | $26,894 |
| 2018 | $32,441 | $32,441 | $26,835 |
| 2019 | $33,404 | $33,404 | $24,024 |
| 2020 | $34,736 | $34,736 | $26,166 |
| 2021 | $36,274 | $36,274 | $27,013 |
| 2022 | $38,442 | $38,442 | $28,661 |
| 2023 | $40,408 | $40,408 | $28,901 |
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 has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1007 (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 3.20
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte reported total enrollment of about 1,184 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 35% male and 65% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Black or African American (41.8%), White (33.5%), and Hispanic or Latino (13.3%). About 52.39% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 34.6% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
97.4% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte in 2024 is 1,184 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 1,286 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
71.5%
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
26.29% 100% Completion Time
48.97% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 26.29% of students graduating from Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Culinary Arts/Chef Training: 46% male / 54% female
- Baking and Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry Chef: 9% male / 91% female
- Foodservice Systems Administration/Management: 33% male / 67% 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.
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte graduates earn a median of $43,418 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $43,418. Median federal loan debt: $26,000. Average net price used in cost models: $27,426.
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 Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte graduates report median earnings of $43,418 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 Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (19 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$8.9M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- North Carolina median 0.75× the median ($12M)
- Southeast median 0.46× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 0.34× the median ($26.4M)
- North Carolina median near the median ($8,184)
- Southeast median 0.88× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 0.68× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 100.0%
- North Carolina median 50.9 pp above median (49.1%)
- Southeast median 40.6 pp above median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 42.0 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $10,592
- North Carolina median 1.6× the median ($6,566)
- Southeast median 1.6× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 1.4× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $14,543
- North Carolina median 1.8× the median ($8,093)
- Southeast median 2.2× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 2.0× 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.
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte at a glance
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte is a private non-profit institution in Charlotte, NC, classified as Special Focus Four-Year: Faith-Related Institutions.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Culinary Arts/Chef TrainingBaking and Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry ChefFoodservice Systems Administration/Management
- Largest enrollment groups
- Black or African American41.8%White or Caucasian33.5%Hispanic or Latino13.3%
Schools near Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte
Other campuses in Charlotte, NC when available, plus nearby institutions in North Carolina.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within North Carolina, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte located?
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte is located in Charlotte, NC.
What is Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte is 79.9% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 4,677 applicants and 3,521 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte's tuition?
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $42,419 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $27,426 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte cost?
Reported tuition is $42,419 and average net price is $27,426 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $14,800 annually.
Why is Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte, published tuition is $42,419 while average net price is $27,426—about 35% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($27,426), completion (49.0% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($43,418). 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 Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte?
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte reports undergraduate enrollment of about 1,286 students, Black or African American (41.8%), White (33.5%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte?
About 34.6% of students at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte reports midpoint SAT about 1007.
What do graduates of Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte earn?
Median earnings are $35,802 six years after entry and $43,418 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte?
The 150%-time completion rate is 49.0% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $26,000.
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
- North Carolina college profile
- North Carolina college costs
- North Carolina colleges by ROI
- Charlotte, North Carolina city profile
- Southeast regional profile
- Urban (City) college profile
- Campus-setting profiles
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in North Carolina
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.