Clark Atlanta University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Clark Atlanta University charges a net price of $37,702/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $150,808. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,712, 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, Clark Atlanta University does not clear its cost — it ranks #55 of 100 Georgia colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $37,702/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $150,808 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,712 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,648/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$263,768 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Clark Atlanta University's own numbers. Net price $37,702 × 4 years = $150,808 total. Median earnings $42,712 fall $5,648 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 $150,808 bill in about 15.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Clark Atlanta University students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 63% of the $42,712 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Clark Atlanta University students graduate?
49% finish their degree — 51% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $150,808 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $307,771 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Clark Atlanta University expensive compared with other Georgia colleges?
Its $37,702 net price runs $22,027 above the $15,675 median across the 100 Georgia colleges we profile, or $88,108 more across the full degree.