Tougaloo College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Tougaloo College charges a net price of $17,043/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $68,172. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,724, 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, Tougaloo College does not clear its cost — it ranks #23 of 32 Mississippi colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $17,043/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $68,172 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,724 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,636/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $30,046 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$340,892 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Tougaloo College's own numbers. Net price $17,043 × 4 years = $68,172 total. Median earnings $34,724 fall $13,636 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 $68,172 bill in about 6.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Tougaloo College students graduate with?
A median $30,046 in federal loans among completers, or 87% of the $34,724 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Tougaloo College students graduate?
33% finish their degree — 67% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $68,172 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $206,582 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Tougaloo College expensive compared with other Mississippi colleges?
Its $17,043 net price runs $8,029 above the $9,015 median across the 32 Mississippi colleges we profile, or $32,114 more across the full degree.