Admit rate has ranged 59%–75% over the last 5 years — notably volatile, though the latest figure above (34%) falls outside that window. 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.
Saint Augustine's University, a private HBCU in Raleigh, North Carolina, operates with a clear sense of mission and an intimate scale. It's a place defined by its 11:1 student-faculty ratio, its focus on experiential learning, and its recent, hard-won gains in student retention. While facing significant challenges in graduation outcomes, the university offers a close-knit, supportive environment for students, particularly in fields like criminal justice and the social sciences, who are seeking a personalized path in an urban setting.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
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
172
In-state tuition
$16,896
Out-of-state tuition
$16,896
Campus Setting
Urban
Graduation Rate
25%
Student-Faculty Ratio
11:1
Median Earnings (10yr)
$35,730
First-Year Retention Rate
Over 77%
Average Annual Housing Cost
$5,158
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$35,730
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
1.5×
Median debt at graduation
$29,669
Graduation rate
25%
First-year retention
—
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
26%
Pell (lower-income) share
51%
First-gen share (among federal-aid recipients)
35%
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Business Administration, Management and Operations$32,711
Sociology$29,685
Criminal Justice and Corrections$25,774
Psychology, General$25,194
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General$25,194
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
103
Summer high
88°F
Winter low
37°F
Annual rain
51.5"
Annual snow
2.7"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively High
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
21
Scholarly works
184
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.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
1.8%
Bottom → top quintile
7%
From bottom quintile
26%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Saint Augustine's University?
Saint Augustine's University's acceptance rate is approximately 34% (Raleigh, NC), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
How much does Saint Augustine's University cost?
At Saint Augustine's University, the average net price (after aid) is about $24,313 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Saint Augustine's University?
Saint Augustine's University enrolls approximately 172 undergraduate students.
Where is Saint Augustine's University located?
Saint Augustine's University is located in Raleigh, NC.
Admissions
Saint Augustine's University maintains a moderately selective admissions process, with an of 34%. The university received 1,821 applications for a recent cycle, admitting 631 students, of whom 173 enrolled. The admissions office can be reached at 919-516-4012. The is a standardized resource that outlines quantitative aspects of the university's admissions process. While specific Early Decision or Early Action programs and their corresponding acceptance rates are not detailed in the provided sources for Saint Augustine's, the university's regular decision process is the primary pathway for applicants. The importance of 'demonstrated interest' as an admissions factor is a concept measured in the Common Data Set (Section C7), though the specific rating for Saint Augustine's is not provided in the sources.
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.
Academic life at Saint Augustine's is characterized by its small scale and hands-on approach. The university is organized into three academic schools, offering more than 20 majors across 12 departments. This structure is designed to facilitate success through small classroom sizes and a student-faculty ratio of 11:1. Popular majors include Legal Professions and Studies, Psychology, Social Sciences, and Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, with Criminal Justice and Corrections noted as a top program. Experiential learning is a cornerstone of the curriculum, emphasized through service learning, internships, and cooperative educational opportunities. The university's academic programs are built to expand educational opportunity, particularly for underserved and students.
With an undergraduate population of 172 students, Saint Augustine's offers an intimate, urban campus experience in Raleigh. Campus life is a partnership, where students work with staff, faculty, and administrators to create a culture where they can flourish. Involvement opportunities include sports, Greek life, and various clubs, though some student opinions note that campus activities can feel limited. Housing is a mix of on-campus and off-campus living; 8% of students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing, while 41% live off campus. The average annual cost for campus housing is $5,158. The Division of Student Experience oversees the co-curricular environment aimed at helping students thrive.
Student outcomes at Saint Augustine's University present a complex picture of challenge and recent progress. The six-year graduation rate is 25%. However, the university has reported significant recent improvements in key metrics. Most notably, the first-year retention rate has risen dramatically from 52% to over 77%, an increase of 25 percentage points since the 2021-2022 academic year. This suggests concerted efforts to support students through the critical first year. The median earnings for graduates ten years after entry are $35,730. The university's outcomes are assessed in rankings, which consider factors like the six-year graduation rate (21%) and the graduation rate of students who received a Pell Grant (5.5%).
The —the average cost after aid and scholarships are applied—is $24,313 per year. The university encourages prospective students to use its Net Price Calculator for a personalized estimate. For those who receive aid, the average aid package awarded is $14,243. Within that package, the average need-based scholarship or grant award (which does not need to be repaid) is $9,559. The Financial Aid and Scholarships office works with students to secure financial support. The university offers federal financial aid, including Direct Unsubsidized Loans for which students are not required to demonstrate financial need. The provided sources do not indicate that Saint Augustine's University has a policy of meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need without loans.
Saint Augustine's University stands out for its deeply personal scale and its identity as a Historically Black University (HBCU) with a clear, modern mission. It’s not a sprawling campus, but a tight-knit academic community where the 11:1 student-faculty ratio isn't just a statistic—it's the daily reality. The curriculum is built around hands-on, experiential learning, pushing internships and service work from the start, particularly in its strong criminal justice and social science programs. Perhaps most compelling is the story of its recent trajectory: the university has executed a remarkable turnaround in student retention, boosting its rate by 25 points to over 77% in a short period. This signals an institution actively and successfully working to support its students through the challenges of college life. For students seeking an intimate, supportive HBCU experience in a state capital, with a curriculum geared toward practical application and a community invested in their persistence, Saint Augustine's offers a distinctive path.
Saint Augustine's University seal · sourceRaleigh - Saint Augustine's University · sourceRaleigh - Saint Augustine's University · sourceCampus Map - Saint Augustine's University · source
