Degree Dividend
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Livingstone College — ROI, Cost & Payback

Private nonprofit · Salisbury, NC · 924 students

The verdict

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.)

Share
$13,479
Net price / yr
Scorecard, 2026
$32,600
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Scorecard, 2026
Payback
Our math, 2026
59%
Admission rate
Scorecard, 2026
Livingstone College: cost, earnings and payback
MeasureValueSource
Net price (after aid)$13,479/yrScorecard, 2026
Total net cost (4 yrs)$53,916our math
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry$32,600Scorecard, 2026
Earnings premium over HS baseline$-15,760/yrour math
Median debt (completers)$31,125Scorecard, 2026
Paybackdoes not clearour math
20-year net return$-369,116our math

College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.

How we compute this. Payback = total net cost ÷ annual earnings premium, where the premium is median earnings 10 years after entry minus the $48,360 baseline (BLS 2024 median for a high-school-diploma worker 25+). Total net cost = net price × 4 years. We do not discount future dollars. The institution-wide earnings figure blends every major — a specific program's payback can be far better or worse. Full method on the methodology page.