Livingstone College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Livingstone College charges a net price of $13,479/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $53,916. Median earnings ten years after entry are $32,600, 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, Livingstone College does not clear its cost — it ranks #104 of 115 North 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) | $13,479/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $53,916 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $32,600 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$15,760/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $31,125 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$369,116 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Livingstone College's own numbers. Net price $13,479 × 4 years = $53,916 total. Median earnings $32,600 fall $15,760 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 $53,916 bill in about 5.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Livingstone College students graduate with?
A median $31,125 in federal loans among completers, or 95% of the $32,600 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Livingstone College students graduate?
28% finish their degree — 72% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $53,916 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $192,557 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Livingstone College expensive compared with other North Carolina colleges?
Its $13,479 net price runs $2,633 above the $10,846 median across the 115 North Carolina colleges we profile, or $10,532 more across the full degree.