Southern University and A & M College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Southern University and A & M College charges a net price of $20,077/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $80,308. Median earnings ten years after entry are $43,371, 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, Southern University and A & M College does not clear its cost — it ranks #22 of 52 Louisiana colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $20,077/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $80,308 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $43,371 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$4,989/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $29,251 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$180,088 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Southern University and A & M College's own numbers. Net price $20,077 × 4 years = $80,308 total. Median earnings $43,371 fall $4,989 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 $80,308 bill in about 8.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Southern University and A & M College students graduate with?
A median $29,251 in federal loans among completers, or 67% of the $43,371 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Southern University and A & M College students graduate?
27% finish their degree — 73% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $80,308 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $297,437 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Southern University and A & M College expensive compared with other Louisiana colleges?
Its $20,077 net price runs $6,183 above the $13,895 median across the 52 Louisiana colleges we profile, or $24,730 more across the full degree.