Alcorn State University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Alcorn State University charges a net price of $13,265/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $53,060. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,421, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Alcorn State University does not clear its cost — it ranks #13 of 32 Mississippi colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $13,265/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $53,060 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,421 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,939/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$291,840 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Alcorn State University's own numbers. Net price $13,265 × 4 years = $53,060 total. Median earnings $36,421 fall $11,939 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $53,060 bill in about 5.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Alcorn State University students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 74% of the $36,421 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Alcorn State University students graduate?
57% finish their degree — 43% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $53,060 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $93,088 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Alcorn State University expensive compared with other Mississippi colleges?
Its $13,265 net price runs $4,251 above the $9,015 median across the 32 Mississippi colleges we profile, or $17,002 more across the full degree.