Liberal arts college
Johnson C Smith University
Charlotte, NC · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $20,894 a year
Median debt at graduation: $30,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.34%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.71%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.Not reported
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.12 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$10,570
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $34,923 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 1,058 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 48% · Women 52% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 36% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 53% |
| Total students | 1,102 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $20,894 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $34,923 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $30,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 34% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 40% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 38% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 26% |
| First-year retention | 71% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $42,680 |
| Admission rate | 45% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $25 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,538 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 69% |
Value: Solid (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Business administration | |
| Criminology | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Biology | |
| Communication studies | |
| Liberal arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Chemistry, Computer engineering, Computing and information science, Counseling and mental health, Dance, Economics, English, History, Interdisciplinary studies, Mathematics, Music, Political science, Psychology, Public health, Romance languages, Social work, Visual and performing arts.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Parks, recreation and fitness | |
| Liberal arts and general studies | |
| Social sciences | |
| Biology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 3% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 15% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $8,600 |
| Sports | NCAA Division II · Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 12 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 4%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 59%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $59,936IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 98% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)About 5 miles away · about 20 minutes by car |
| Town population | 903,844Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | CharlotteAbout 3 miles away · about 10 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 42°F in January · 80°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Charlotte Douglas Airport, NC, about 6 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 1.54 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.77 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.77 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 2.30 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.77 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Johnson C Smith University’s Compass Score?
- Good (grade B-). The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Johnson C Smith University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $20,894 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Johnson C Smith University?
- Johnson C Smith University admitted 45% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Johnson C Smith University’s graduates do?
- 34% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $42,680; the median federal debt at graduation is $30,000.
Ask the school
Something you want to know that isn’t on this page? Ask it here. We send it to the school, and their answer appears on this page. Your name is never shared.
Reviews
Personal experiences from signed-in readers. Reviews are moderated automatically and never change a school’s grades.
No reviews yet.
Sign in to write a review.
My rating and notes
Sign in or create a free account to rate this school privately, keep notes, and save it to your list.
About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 198756
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Report an error or a newer source
- Respond as this school
Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
Compare side by side: Johnson C Smith vs Austin · Johnson C Smith vs Dillard · Johnson C Smith vs Oakwood · Johnson C Smith vs Bethany Lutheran
More in North Carolina · North Carolina rankings