Payback
EarningsPlus
Economic score
Spelman College is a private liberal arts college located in Atlanta, Georgia. Spelman College is moderately inclusive in their admissions.
Return on educational investment at Spelman College is in the bottom 25% of all ranked schools. The median student earns $52,227 10 years after enrolling, 6th in Georgia, and in the top 50% nationally. When adjusted for earning differences by major, Spelman College bachelor students earn 9% more than the national average. Spelman College is ranked 19th in Georgia.
Spelman College’s median net annual cost of $44,833 and average years to graduate of 4.3 are reported only at the school level. We assume these same costs and graduation time for all programs.
The top 6 programs at Spelman College sorted by number of graduates - General Psychology, Poli Sci/Government, English Language & Lit, Economics, International studies, Ethnic/Gender studies - are shown below. To see more programs, click on "see additional programs".
Annual net cost
$44,833
Average years to graduate
4.3
Mathematics
Rank: #186
Economic score: 4.35
Sociology
Rank: #370
Economic score: 43.81
The average student at Spelman College takes 4.3 years to graduate, with 78% graduating within 8 years including part-time students. The graduation rate at Spelman College is 31% more than the state average and 9% more than the average for all liberal arts colleges in the country.
At Spelman College, Pell Grant recipients represent 42% of the measured graduating class, 7% higher than the national average of 35%. The average Pell Grant recipient at Spelman College graduates within 4.3 years.
Spelman College is in the top 10% of schools for graduating Pell recipients.
We calculate this performance by adjusting the graduation rate of Pell students by their percentage of the student body. This adjustment is made to prevent schools with large numbers of Pell students from underperforming in comparison to schools with few Pell students but high graduation rates.
Spelman College’s economic mobility score of 11.88 is calculated by adjusting the 5.71 economic score of lower-income students by the 42% pell grant recipients within the student body. Spelman College’s EMS of 11.88 ranks in the bottom 50% nationally.
Economic Mobility
To calculate economic mobility of low-income (household earnings below $30,000) students, we adjust each institution’s economic score by their percentage of Pell Grant students. The logic of this Pell-adjusted calculation is derived from Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index (EMI).
Bottom 50%
The average Title IV recipient at Spelman College pays $44,833 a year, $9,907 less than the $54,740 advertised. See below the cost breakdown for students who receive Title IV grants, broken down by income level.
Average net price
The average net price shown by income level for all students that receive Title IV aid. Calculated by deducting the average grant and scholarship aid from tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Limited to first-time, full-time students. Public institution figures are calculated using in-state tuition figures.
Median net price $44,833
Much of the gap between net price and sticker price is filled by institutional and government grants. At Spelman College, 96% of students receive some grants and scholarships, compared to the national average of 87% for all colleges and universities. The average amount of federal, state, and institutional grants that students receive is shown on the right.
This leaves a total of $44,833 on average to be covered by the student – be it through loans or out of pocket. In total, 76% of students take out loans, federal or private, at an average amount of $6,553. This is 22% more than the national average.
Federal grants
$5,707
Pell grants
$5,583
State grants
$4,711
Institutional grants
$7,376
Spelman College's moderately inclusive admissions are indicated by their 51% acceptance rate. In 2021, the school had 11,176 applicants, of which 5,673 were admitted and 794 enrolled. Spelman College doesn't have a rolling admissions policy, which means applications are reviewed after a hard admissions deadline.
Full time
99%
83%
Female
N/A
59%
First time
88%
59%
In-state
25%
68%
1st generation
21%
35%
White
N/A
52%
Black
98%
14%
Hispanic
N/A
15%
Asian
N/A
5%
American Indian
1%
1.6%
Pacific Islander
N/A
0.3%
Other
1%
12%