After Spelman: graduation, pay and debt

Atlanta, Georgia · Private · 3,414 undergrads · HBCU

76% of Spelman students finish within six years, the typical student earns $65,773 ten years after starting and graduates leave with $20,500 in federal loans at the median.

The short answers

$65.8k

median pay 10 years after starting college.

76%

finish within six years.

68%

finish in four years.

94%

of first-years come back for year two.

$20.5k

median federal debt at graduation.

42%

of borrowers were paying down their loans three years after leaving.

All the federal numbers

Finishing

Finished in four yearsIPEDS, fall 2023

68%

Finished within six yearsIPEDS, fall 2023

76%

First-years who came back for year twoCollege Scorecard, fall 2024

94%

Women who finished within six yearsIPEDS, students who started in 2017

76%

Students in that six-year groupIPEDS, students who started in 2017

544

Earned a degree or certificate here within eight yearsIPEDS, full-time students who started in 2015

80%

Still enrolled here after eight yearsIPEDS, full-time students who started in 2015

13%

Students in that eight-year groupIPEDS, full-time students who started in 2015

566

Transferred to another collegeCollege Scorecard, earlier release

13%

Pay after college

Median pay 6 years after starting collegeCollege Scorecard

$51,777

Median pay 10 years after starting collegeCollege Scorecard, 2022-23

$65,773

Earning more than $25,000 six years after startingCollege Scorecard, earlier release

62%

Pay is for students who got federal aid and are working, counted from the year they started college, whether or not they finished.

Debt and paying it back

Median federal debt, students who graduatedCollege Scorecard, 2024-25

$20,500

Median federal debt, everyone who borrowed (finished or not)College Scorecard, earlier release

$21,750

Median federal debt, students with a Pell GrantCollege Scorecard, earlier release

$23,250

Median federal debt, students without a Pell GrantCollege Scorecard, earlier release

$20,500

Paying down their loans 3 years after leavingCollege Scorecard, 2024-25

42%

Paying down their loans 5 years after leavingCollege Scorecard, earlier release

58%

Paying down their loans 7 years after leavingCollege Scorecard, earlier release

61%

Federal student loans only. Private loans and Parent PLUS loans aren't counted.

Where these numbers come from

Admit rate and applicants: Common Data Set, fall 2025 (checked Oct 31, 2026)
GPA, early rounds and wait list: Common Data Set, fall 2025 (checked Oct 31, 2026)
Cost, pay and debt: College Scorecard, 2024-25 (checked Oct 31, 2026)
Deadlines: spelman.edu, 2026-27 (checked Nov 5, 2026)
Test rule: spelman.edu, fall 2027 (checked Nov 2, 2026)

Updated Nov 5, 2026Spot a mistake?How we get our numbers