Admit rate has ranged 50%–74% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Livingstone College is a small, historically Black institution in Salisbury, North Carolina, with a mission rooted in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. It operates as a tight-knit, residential community where the vast majority of students live on campus and pursue degrees in fields like business, sports management, and biology. The college's profile is defined by its accessibility, its focus on holistic student development, and the significant financial challenges its graduates often face in the early stages of their careers.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
Grade point average
Considered (not required)
Letters of recommendation
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
924
In-state tuition
$18,296
Out-of-state tuition
$18,296
Graduation Rate
28%
On-Campus Living
88%
Full-Time Students
98%
Median Earnings (10yr)
$32,600
Student-to-Faculty Ratio
14:1
Students Receiving Financial Aid
94.68%
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$32,600
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
2.4×
Median debt at graduation
$31,125
Graduation rate
28%
First-year retention
71%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
16%
Pell (lower-income) share
82%
First-gen share (among federal-aid recipients)
39%
Financial health
2.2 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Criminal Justice and Corrections$32,711
Biology, General$25,194
Business Administration, Management and Operations$25,194
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities$24,035
Social Work$20,687
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
101
Summer high
87°F
Winter low
36°F
Annual rain
45.5"
Annual snow
2.9"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively Moderate
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
47
Scholarly works
415
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Livingstone College?
Livingstone College's acceptance rate is approximately 59% (Salisbury, NC), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
How much does Livingstone College cost?
At Livingstone College, the average net price (after aid) is about $13,479 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Livingstone College?
Livingstone College enrolls approximately 924 undergraduate students.
Where is Livingstone College located?
Livingstone College is located in Salisbury, NC.
Admissions
Livingstone College is an accessible institution with a moderately selective admissions process. The undergraduate is 59%.
Admissions data shows a distinct gender disparity among applicants and enrollees. For the Fall 2023 entering class, the student body was 58% male and 42% female. The vast majority of students—98%—enroll as full-time students.
The college accepts both SAT and ACT scores, with CEEB codes of 5367 for the SAT and 3120 for the ACT. Official scores can be submitted via reports or listed on high school transcripts.
A key metric for the college is its rate—the percentage of admitted students who choose to enroll. For Livingstone, this rate is low, at 9%. This indicates that while many students are admitted, a relatively small fraction of them ultimately decide to attend.
Livingstone College offers a focused academic experience centered around 23 undergraduate majors, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 14:1. The curriculum is designed to prepare students for graduate school, professional careers, and community leadership.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
The most popular majors reflect a blend of professional and pre-professional tracks:
Business Administration and Management, General
Sport and Fitness Administration / Management
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
The George E. Battle School of Business, Innovation and Entrepreneurship is a highlighted program, recently reaffirmed for its commitment to "academic excellence, ethical leadership, innovation, and student-centered learning." Beyond traditional majors, the college also offers certificate programs in practical fields like Culinary Arts and Event Planning.
The six-year graduation rate is a central focus for the institution, which sets its internal benchmark at 30%.
Life at Livingstone is overwhelmingly residential and communal. A full 88% of students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing, with only 12% living off campus. This creates a close-knit environment where campus is the central hub for social and academic life.
The college promotes a "healthy, holistic, and supportive" environment overseen by the Division of Student Affairs. Campus life is active with a variety of opportunities for engagement, including:
Religious, social, cultural, and recreational activities
Athletics and Greek life
Campus events like cookouts and parties
Clubs and activities are framed as serving dual purposes: they become resume highlights and forge lifelong memories and friendships. Campus dining is also positioned as a core social venue, "where students gather, organizations meet, and campus life happens."
Student outcomes at Livingstone College present a complex picture of persistence and post-graduate earning potential. The college's own data indicates that the highest percentage of students graduate in 5-6 years, not the standard 4-year timeline. The institution sets its six-year graduation rate benchmark at 30%.
Post-graduation earnings data reveals significant economic challenges for alumni. One source reports that graduates earn about $21,000 in their early career, which is described as "about $17,000 worse than might be expected" given the mix of majors at the college. Another source notes that median earnings four years after graduation are about $37,280, which is 38% lower than the national median. The three-year employment rate for graduates is also tracked.
The first-year retention rate is a monitored metric, with the college aiming for a minimum benchmark, though a specific figure is not provided in the sources.
Livingstone College is a relatively affordable private institution, with a significant majority of students receiving financial aid. The average —the cost after grants and scholarships are applied—is a key figure for families. Various sources report this net price between $12,424 and $15,914, with one noting an average aid package of $16,859.
A full 94.68% of students receive financial aid. The college states that most financial aid is awarded primarily on the basis of financial need. It offers a Net Price Calculator on its website to help families estimate their out-of-pocket costs, emphasizing that grants and scholarships do not have to be repaid. The college also participates in federal loan programs, including the Parent PLUS Loan, for which students must have a completed FAFSA.
Livingstone College stands out as a specific type of HBCU experience: intensely residential, personally scaled, and unapologetically focused on student support and holistic development. It’s not a powerhouse of selective admissions or high-flying career outcomes; its distinction lies in its function. This is a college that provides access and opportunity, particularly for students who benefit from a structured, on-campus environment—evidenced by the 88% residential rate and 98% full-time enrollment.
Its identity is cemented by the George E. Battle School of Business and popular majors in sports management, which speak to a practical, career-oriented approach within a liberal arts framework. The college’s own literature consistently frames success not just in terms of degrees earned, but in the cultivation of "ethical leadership" and community readiness. The low rate of 9% suggests it often serves as a safety school or a second choice, yet for those who enroll, it offers a close-knit community where campus life is deliberately engineered to build both resumes and lifelong bonds. It operates with clear-eyed awareness of its graduation timeline challenges, publicly benchmarking its 6-year rate, which reflects a commitment to supporting students through a longer, often non-traditional, path to a degree.
Livingstone College seal · sourceLivingstone College | Excellence – The Livingstone Way · sourceOffice of Admissions | Livingstone College · sourceHarris | Livingstone College · source
