10-yr median earnings
$43,418
Federal aid recipients only
Private Nonprofit · Charlotte, North Carolina
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte is a private nonprofit institution in Charlotte, North Carolina. as a private nonprofit, published Scorecard outcomes cover federal-aid recipients at this campus — endowment and sticker price sit outside those cohort fields.
- $43,418
- 10-yr median earnings
- 79.9%
- Acceptance rate
- $27,426
- Avg net price / yr
- 50.7%
- 150%-time completion
The verdict
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte pairs above-median former-student earnings with a moderately open admit.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
- Top 43%
- former-student earnings, US
- 79.9%
- acceptance rate
- 50.7%
- 150%-time completion
- +21%
- earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Large
Carnegie: Bacc: Diverse
Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.
How to read this Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte profile
Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.
Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.
Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.
College Value Score
F
College Value Score
39/100
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte
A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.
Earnings C
$43,418
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price F
$27,426
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate D
50.7%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$26,000
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment A
80.3%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention F
71.5%
First-year students returning for year two
Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.
Avg net price
$27,426
After grants and scholarships
150%-time completion
50.7%
Full-time, first-time cohort
150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 50.7%
Four-year-institution cohort
College ROI Quadrant - Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte vs peers
Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.
How Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte ranks nationally
Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte: former-student earnings vs. every US college
10-year median earnings, College Scorecard
$43,418 Top 43% higher than 57% of 5,103 US colleges
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
| Metric | Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte | National rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $43,418 | #2176 of 5103 | 57th |
| Average net price | $27,426 | #4202 of 5020 | 16th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 50.7% | #2921 of 4858 | 40th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,184 | #2012 of 5462 | 63rd |
National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.
Quick Facts
1,184
Undergraduate enrollment
79.9%
Acceptance rate
1,007
SAT average
50.7%
150%-time completion
$43,418
10-yr median earnings
71.5%
First-year retention
How Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte ranks in North Carolina
State rank among 147 reporting North Carolina colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.
| Metric | Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte | State rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $43,418 | #42 of 147 | 71st |
| Average net price | $27,426 | #133 of 146 | 9th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 50.7% | #56 of 142 | 61st |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,184 | #75 of 153 | 51st |
Highest former-student earnings in North Carolina
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke University | $97,800 | $29,612 |
| 2 | Chamberlain University-North Carolina | $92,405 | $38,436 |
| 3 | Davidson College | $81,400 | $17,379 |
| 4 | Wake Forest University | $78,158 | $28,719 |
| 5 | Elon University | $74,545 | $41,555 |
| 6 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $72,200 | $11,655 |
| 7 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $68,758 | $17,303 |
| 8 | Carolinas College of Health Sciences | $64,624 | - |
| 9 | Galen Health Institutes-Asheville | $61,480 | $28,602 |
| 10 | High Point University | $61,389 | $38,707 |
| 11 | Cabarrus College of Health Sciences | $58,708 | $17,618 |
| 12 | Queens University of Charlotte | $57,673 | $30,857 |
| 42 | Johnson & Wales University-CharlotteThis school | $43,418 | $27,426 |
Admissions
| Admission Rate | 79.9% |
| SAT Average | 1,007 |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 430 – 560 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 450 – 570 |
| ACT (25th-75th) | 16 – 23 |
Costs & Financial Aid
Net price by family income at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte
Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket
- $0 – $30k
$0 – $30k
$23,414 net price / yr
- $30k – $48k
$30k – $48k
$24,568 net price / yr
- $48k – $75k
$48k – $75k
$25,109 net price / yr
- $110k+
$110k+
$33,680 net price / yr
What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.
Tuition & Net Price
| In-State Tuition | $42,419 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $42,419 |
| Average Net Price | $27,426 |
52.4%
Pell Grant Rate
81.1%
Federal Loan Rate
$26,000
Median Debt
$276/mo
Monthly Payment
2013–2023: what Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte costs has stayed close to flat
Average net price moved +23.7% over 10 years, from $23,355 to $28,901 in nominal dollars. The median college measured over the same span moved +14.6%.
11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
2013 · $23,3552023 · $28,901
Over the same years, enrollment went -51.6% (2,325 → 1,126 students).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.
Student Demographics
Race & ethnicity
Student body at a glance
63.5%
Female
34.6%
First Generation
Outcomes
71.5%
Retention Rate
$35,802
Median Earnings (6yr)
60.9%
Earning Over $25K
80.3%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)
Outcomes & debt snapshot
| Measure | Cohort / horizon | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Completion within 150% of normal time | First-time, full-time | 50.7% |
| First-year retention | First-time, full-time freshmen | 71.5% |
| Median earnings | 6 years after entry | $35,802 |
| Median earnings | 10 years after entry | $43,418 |
| Share earning over $25,000 | Working, not enrolled | 60.9% |
| Loan repayment rate | Completers, 3 years after leaving | 80.3% |
| Median federal student debt | At completion | $26,000 |
| Estimated monthly payment | Standard 10-year plan | $276/mo |
Programs & Earnings
Field-of-study summary by credential
| Credential | Programs | Award count | Avg earnings | Top earnings | Avg debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 12 | 145 | $56,647 | $73,476 | $26,258 |
| Master's | 1 | 0 | $73,821 | $73,821 | $34,341 |
| Associate's | 1 | 217 | $42,395 | $42,395 | $14,167 |
Top programs at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte by completer earnings
Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file
- Business Administration, M…
Business Administration, Management and Operations
$73,821 median earnings
- Accounting and Related Ser…
Accounting and Related Services
$73,476 median earnings
- Marketing
Marketing
$64,321 median earnings
- Business Administration, M…
Business Administration, Management and Operations
$59,186 median earnings
- Parks, Recreation, and Lei…
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management
$56,241 median earnings
- Hospitality Administration…
Hospitality Administration/Management
$55,790 median earnings
- Culinary Arts and Related …
Culinary Arts and Related Services
$55,056 median earnings
- Specialized Sales, Merchan…
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations
$53,539 median earnings
What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.
Nearby Schools
Explore Data-Matched Colleges
Independent Scorecard matches among reporting colleges — not recommendations from the institution or a counselor.
Similar Enrollment and Sector
Other Private Nonprofit institutions closest in reported enrollment, preferring the same Carnegie classification.
Similar Reported Net Price
Other Private Nonprofit institutions with the nearest reported average net price.
Similar 2013–2023 Net-Price Trend
Same-sector institutions with the same direction and nearest fitted annual change; only series with R² of at least 0.40 qualify.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte? ▼
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte is a private nonprofit institution in Charlotte, North Carolina. The acceptance rate is 79.9%. The average SAT score is 1,007. Undergraduate enrollment is 1,184 students.
How much do Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte former students earn? ▼
Federally aided former students at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $43,418 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $35,802.
How much does Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte cost? ▼
The average net price at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte is $27,426. In-state tuition is $42,419 and out-of-state tuition is $42,419. Median student debt at graduation is $26,000.
What is the graduation rate at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte? ▼
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte has a 50.7% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 71.5%.
Is Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte worth the student debt? ▼
The median student debt at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte is $26,000, while former students earn a median of $43,418 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 60% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 80.3% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $276.
Sources & methodology
Private-nonprofit profiles emphasize Scorecard cost-after-aid and completion alongside IPEDS Carnegie class. Endowment, gifts, and sticker price are not Scorecard fields on this page.
Figures are the Mar–Jul 2026 federal retrievals. Nonprofit campuses vary widely in aid practice — net price here is the Title-IV-recipient cohort average, not an individual award letter. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education - former-student earnings, cost & completion (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics - enrollment, admissions, Carnegie class & demographics (nces.ed.gov/ipeds).
- U.S. Treasury / IRS earnings linkage - median earnings 6 & 10 years after enrollment for federal-aid recipients (irs.gov).
- College Scorecard, Field of Study - program-level (credential) earnings & debt (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- Federal Student Aid (Title IV / NSLDS) - U.S. Department of Education - net price, student debt & aid-recipient repayment outcomes (studentaid.gov).
Where to go next from Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte
- Compare Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte against schools with similar outcomes at a lower average net price.Find similar schools that cost less
- Browse every reporting college in North Carolina side by side.Browse North Carolina
- See how fields of study differ on former-student earnings and debt.Explore programs
Nonprofit Scorecard medians describe federal-aid recipients who were working and not enrolled — they are not sticker-price ROI and not advice.
Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Private-nonprofit profiles compile Scorecard net-price and earnings cohorts with IPEDS structure fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.