Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $44,468, placing Shaw University in the 2.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Shaw University sits in the 44.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Shaw University #1338 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 9.6 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures represent lifetime returns relative to NC's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $30,928 (the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern reflects Shaw University's concentration in business and professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 28 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $47,401, representing 0.7x the national benchmark for the field. Criminal Justice follows with 20 graduates earning $43,299, and Social Work contributes 18 graduates earning $46,981. The institution's dominant program family of Business anchors the overall earnings profile, with graduates moving into stable professional roles in accounting, management, and related fields that support sustained income growth over the career span.
Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $44,468, placing Shaw University in the 2.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Shaw University sits in the 44.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Shaw University #1338 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 9.6 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures represent lifetime returns relative to NC's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $30,928 (the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern reflects Shaw University's concentration in business and professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 28 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $47,401, representing 0.7x the national benchmark for the field. Criminal Justice follows with 20 graduates earning $43,299, and Social Work contributes 18 graduates earning $46,981. The institution's dominant program family of Business anchors the overall earnings profile, with graduates moving into stable professional roles in accounting, management, and related fields that support sustained income growth over the career span.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
Lower quartile, 10-year field
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Moderate debt load. Repaying $32,500 requires planning but is achievable.
Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $44,468, placing Shaw University in the 2.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Shaw University sits in the 44.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Shaw University #1338 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 9.6 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures represent lifetime returns relative to NC's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $30,928 (the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern reflects Shaw University's concentration in business and professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 28 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $47,401, representing 0.7x the national benchmark for the field. Criminal Justice follows with 20 graduates earning $43,299, and Social Work contributes 18 graduates earning $46,981. The institution's dominant program family of Business anchors the overall earnings profile, with graduates moving into stable professional roles in accounting, management, and related fields that support sustained income growth over the career span.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
Shaw University's program mix is anchored in business, education, and social sciences — a portfolio aligned with the institution's historically Black university mission and regional labor-market demand. Business Administration is the largest program with 28 graduates, followed by Criminal Justice, Social Work, Kinesiology, and Psychology, General. The institution's dominant program family, Business, represents a significant share of degree output and reflects strong regional employer demand in accounting, management, and finance sectors. Median earnings four years after enrollment vary across the program portfolio. Business Administration graduates earn $47,401, while Criminal Justice graduates earn $43,299. Among the institution's highest-earning programs, Business Administration graduates earn $47,401, and Social Work graduates earn $46,981. This earnings distribution reflects the mix of applied-professional fields like business and accounting alongside social-science and education pathways, where four-year earnings may undercount lifetime trajectory for graduates who pursue advanced degrees. Shaw's program concentration in business and education aligns with stable, in-demand career pathways in the Southeast. The supply and demand for college graduates provides context for how these dominant program families connect to regional and national labor-market trends. For prospective students, exploring specific program earnings and career outcomes through the institution's program pages can help clarify which fields offer the strongest financial returns relative to individual career goals.
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $44,468, placing Shaw University in the 2.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Shaw University sits in the 44.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Shaw University #1338 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 9.6 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures represent lifetime returns relative to NC's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $30,928 (the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern reflects Shaw University's concentration in business and professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 28 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $47,401, representing 0.7x the national benchmark for the field. Criminal Justice follows with 20 graduates earning $43,299, and Social Work contributes 18 graduates earning $46,981. The institution's dominant program family of Business anchors the overall earnings profile, with graduates moving into stable professional roles in accounting, management, and related fields that support sustained income growth over the career span.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
