Claflin University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Claflin University charges a net price of $17,800/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $71,200. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,304, 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, Claflin University does not clear its cost — it ranks #32 of 60 South Carolina colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $17,800/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $71,200 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,304 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,056/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $29,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$232,320 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Claflin University's own numbers. Net price $17,800 × 4 years = $71,200 total. Median earnings $40,304 fall $8,056 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 $71,200 bill in about 7.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Claflin University students graduate with?
A median $29,000 in federal loans among completers, or 72% of the $40,304 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Claflin University students graduate?
52% finish their degree — 48% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $71,200 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $136,923 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Claflin University expensive compared with other South Carolina colleges?
Its $17,800 net price runs $1,806 above the $15,995 median across the 60 South Carolina colleges we profile, or $7,222 more across the full degree.