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Shaw University
Shaw University says yes to 80.2% of applicants. Focus less on getting in and more on what's below — starting with the $34,409 median earnings.
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Shaw University sits in Raleigh proper — a private campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. It is one of the nation's historically Black colleges and universities, a designation that shapes both its history and its present mission. The school maintains its Baptist affiliation, which threads through campus life to a degree that varies by program.
Its highest-earning path is Business Administration, Management and Operations, where graduates median $47,401 four years out. 66.4% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 875 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 51.6% of first-years come back for a second year.
Shaw University won't look at test scores — here the GPA calculator is the tool that matters. Bring your saved semester numbers and see what they average.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Shaw University received 10,699 applications and admitted 3,261 (30.5%), with 186 enrolling.
Leave the SAT prep out of this one — test scores are disregarded entirely. Shaw University's 80.2% admission rate turned on grades and application strength.
How Shaw University compares
| Shaw University | North Carolina median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 80.2% | 75.1% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $17,538 | $19,500 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $34,409 | $45,873 | $53,781 |
At $34,409, ten-year earnings trail the state median ($45,873). Look at Shaw University's major-level rows below before reading too much into the campus-wide number.
Cost, size & completion
Tuition runs $17,538 regardless of where you're from. At Shaw University, that sticker is a starting point for aid talks — not what the median family pays.
Enrollment sits at 875 — Shaw University is one of the smaller campuses on this site.
Fewer than half of Shaw University students — 21.8% — finish within six years. That number should shape how much debt feels safe.
Top majors by earnings at Shaw University
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $47,401 |
| Social Work | $46,981 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $44,010 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $43,299 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $28,545 |
Median earnings for these 5 Shaw University programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $34,409 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 22 additional Shaw University programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Shaw University?
Shaw University doesn't look at test scores; its 80.2% admission rate turned on transcripts, coursework rigor and the application itself.
What is Shaw University's acceptance rate?
30.5% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 3,261 admitted from 10,699 applicants.
How much does Shaw University cost?
At Shaw University, published tuition is $17,538 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Shaw University's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Shaw University graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $34,409 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in North Carolina
- Salem College — 76.7% admitted
- Mid-Atlantic Christian University — 62.2% admitted
- Warren Wilson College — 71.3% admitted
- Queens University of Charlotte — 62.1% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.