Shaw University Acceptance Rate & Tuition (2026)
Shaw University is a private research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, enrolling about 875 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 80.16% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $34,409 among students who received federal aid.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $17,538
- 2024 Average Net Price: $16,512 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: 80.16% Moderate Selectivity
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 875 93.8% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 21.79%
- Carnegie Classification: Special Focus Four-Year: Faith-Related Institutions
- First-Generation Students: 40.1%
- Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 4.2% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Net price trend: Average net price decrease of 6.2% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Full-Time Faculty: 57.3%
- Undergraduate Enrollment: 943
- Applicants (IPEDS): 10,699
- Room & Board: $9,210 annual estimate
Shaw University: what the data shows
Common questions about Shaw University, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is Shaw University?
Shaw University is located in Raleigh, NC (ZIP 27601).
NCES locale classification: City.
Is Shaw University public or private?
Shaw University is a Private Non-profit institution.
How much does Shaw University cost?
Published tuition: $17,538.
Average net price after aid: $16,512.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $16,236 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $16,276 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $21,145 |
| $110,001+ | $24,966 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $70,152.
How hard is it to get into Shaw University?
Admission rate: 80.16%.
Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
How big is Shaw University?
Total enrollment: 875 students.
Undergraduate enrollment: 943 students.
Graduate enrollment: 87 students.
About 94% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at Shaw University?
150%-time completion rate: 21.79%.
First-year retention: 51.6%.
What do graduates of Shaw University earn?
Median earnings: $26,148 six years after entry; $34,409 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $32,500.
66.43% of students receive Pell grants.
What is Shaw University known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Business Administration and Management, General (30 completions)
- Divinity/Ministry (21 completions)
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology (20 completions)
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies (16 completions)
- Theological and Ministerial Studies, Other (15 completions)
- Psychology, General (9 completions)
- Mass Communication/Media Studies (8 completions)
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General (7 completions)
- Early Childhood Education & Teaching (6 completions)
- 00.0300 (6 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is Shaw University a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show admission rate 80.16%; completion rate 21.79%; median earnings $34,409 at 10 years; net price $16,512. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition Costs
$17,538
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at Shaw University was $17,538.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$16,512
2024 Value
In 2024 Shaw University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $16,512.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$66,048 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$16,512 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$70,152 4-Year Tuition
$9,210 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)
$1,300 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)
$28,048 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)
$112,192 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)
4-year total cost breakdown for Shaw University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
66.43% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
71.17% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Shaw University 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 Shaw University 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 | $16,480 | $16,480 | $18,849 |
| 2014 | $16,480 | $16,480 | $24,385 |
| 2015 | $16,580 | $16,580 | $24,224 |
| 2016 | $16,580 | $16,580 | $18,097 |
| 2017 | $16,480 | $16,480 | $18,719 |
| 2018 | $16,480 | $16,480 | $18,463 |
| 2019 | $16,480 | $16,480 | $19,244 |
| 2020 | $16,480 | $16,480 | $23,809 |
| 2021 | $16,480 | $16,480 | $15,543 |
| 2022 | $16,480 | $16,480 | $15,017 |
| 2023 | $17,176 | $17,176 | $14,083 |
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.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Acceptance Rate
80.16% Acceptance Rate
10,699 Total Applicants
3,261 Students Admitted
186 First-Time Students Enrolled
5.70% Yield (enrolled ÷ admitted)
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Shaw University reported total enrollment of about 875 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 49% male and 51% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Black or African American (71.9%), Non-Resident Alien (9.0%), and Race/ethnicity unknown (6.9%). About 66.43% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 40.1% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
93.8% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Shaw University in 2024 is 875 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 943 students. Graduate enrollment is about 87 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
51.6%
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
The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is Black or African American at 71.9%.
Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).
College Scorecard student demographics.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
9.74% 100% Completion Time
21.79% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 9.74% of students graduating from Shaw University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Business Administration and Management, General: 43% male / 57% female
- Divinity/Ministry: 62% male / 38% female
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology: 30% male / 70% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: Black or African American.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for Shaw University.
Return on Investment
$32,500 Median Student Debt
$34,409 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
94.45% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
420.97% Return on Investment
9.4 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for Shaw University.
Top Programs by Completions
10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 24 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
1. Business Administration and Management, General: 30 completions
2. Divinity/Ministry: 21 completions
3. Exercise Science and Kinesiology: 20 completions
4. Criminal Justice/Safety Studies: 16 completions
5. Theological and Ministerial Studies, Other: 15 completions
6. Psychology, General: 9 completions
7. Mass Communication/Media Studies: 8 completions
8. Biology/Biological Sciences, General: 7 completions
9. Early Childhood Education & Teaching: 6 completions
Most popular programs at Shaw University.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for Shaw University graduates.
Operations
Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for Shaw University from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 57.3%
- Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $5,041
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $7,287
Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
About
Shaw University is a private non-profit institution located in Raleigh, NC, classified as Special Focus Four-Year: Faith-Related Institutions. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were Business Administration and Management, General, Divinity/Ministry, Exercise Science and Kinesiology. Enrollment is approximately 875 students. Student body composition includes Black or African American (71.9%), Non-Resident Alien (9.0%), Race/ethnicity unknown (6.9%). The admission rate is 80.16%. The 150%-time completion rate is 21.79%. Approximately 66.43% of students receive Pell Grants. About 40.1% of students are first-generation college students.
Institution Type
Private Non-profit
Carnegie Classification: Special Focus Four-Year: Faith-Related Institutions
Location
Raleigh, NC 27601
Region: Southeast
Insights and Analysis
Graduation Rate Considerations: The 21.79% graduation rate at Shaw University falls below the national average. Prospective students should carefully consider factors such as academic preparation, support services, and career outcomes when evaluating this institution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Shaw University located?
Shaw University is located in Raleigh, NC.
What is Shaw University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Shaw University is 80.2% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 10,699 applicants and 3,261 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
How much does Shaw University cost?
Reported tuition is $17,538 and average net price is $16,512 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $9,210 annually.
What is the student body demographics at Shaw University?
Shaw University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 943 students, Black or African American (71.9%), Non-Resident Alien (9.0%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Shaw University?
About 40.1% of students at Shaw University are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Shaw University earn?
Median earnings are $26,148 six years after entry and $34,409 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Shaw University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 21.8% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Shaw University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $32,500.
Is Shaw University public or private?
Shaw University is a private nonprofit institution located in Raleigh, NC.
Is Shaw University an HBCU?
Yes. Shaw University is flagged as a historically Black college or university (HBCU) in IPEDS.
Is Shaw University a tribal college?
No. Shaw University is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is Shaw University a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
Using a 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold on College Scorecard demographics, Shaw University does not meet that proxy (reported share 5.8%).
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
- Raleigh, 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
- North Carolina college costs
- North Carolina colleges by ROI
- Raleigh, North Carolina city profile
- Southeast regional profile
- 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 for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.