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Private nonprofit · 4-year

Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte

Charlotte, North Carolina

24
F
DR Rating
DegreeReturn Rating — Poor value

A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.

Poor return
$-85,779 over 10 years

Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.

On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.

35.7 yrs
Break-even
-72%
10-year ROI
$48,340
Median earnings as of 2024
69% of Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte students earn more than a typical U.S. high-school graduate (about $28,000/yr) ten years after starting — measured from IRS tax records, not surveys.

The numbers behind the verdict

$27,426
Average net price / yr as of 2024
$48,340
Median earnings (5 yr) as of 2024
$32,775
Median earnings (1 yr) as of 2024
$26,000
Median debt at graduation as of 2024
49%
Graduation rate as of 2024
69%
Earn more than a HS grad as of 2024
80%
Repaying their loans (3 yr) as of 2024
72%
Retention rate as of 2024

Lifetime ROI: the long view

Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.

$-85,779
After 10 years
$-52,379
After 20 years
$-18,979
After 30 years
$14,421
After 40 years

Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.

Equity & access

Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.

By gender
Women
$41,577
Men
$45,907

9% gap between the two groups

By family-income background
From lower-income families
$38,516
From higher-income families
$48,859

21% gap between the two groups

By student status (FAFSA)
Dependent students
$43,419
Independent students
$43,781

1% gap between the two groups

35%
First-generation students
81%
Take federal student loans
86%
Born in the U.S.
Who studies here
White 34%Hispanic 13%Asian 2%Black 42%Other 10%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.

Net price by family income

What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.

Family incomeAverage net price / yr
Family income $0–$30k$23,414
$30k–$48k$24,568
$48k–$75k$25,109
$75k–$110k$30,117
$110k+$33,680

How Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte compares

This college against the North Carolina and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.

Graduate earnings over time

Median earnings of Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.

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Best-paying majors at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte

Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.

MajorCredentialEarnings (5 yr)Median debt10-yr ROIVerdict
Accounting and Related ServicesAssociate's$75,585$26,229+375%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsCertificate$71,892$34,341+120%Strong return
MarketingAssociate's$55,595$26,100+65%Break-even
Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's$52,954$27,000+23%Break-even
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities ManagementAssociate's$50,488$26,100-15%Poor return
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing OperationsAssociate's$48,340$26,982-48%Poor return
Hospitality Administration/ManagementAssociate's$46,169$25,768-82%Poor return
Entrepreneurial and Small Business OperationsAssociate's$45,190$25,125-97%Poor return
Foods, Nutrition, and Related ServicesAssociate's$41,943$27,000-147%Poor return
Culinary Arts and Related ServicesAssociate's$39,083$27,000-192%Poor return
Culinary Arts and Related ServicesCertificate$36,778$14,167-352%Poor return

Calculate your own ROI

Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.

ROI at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte

Or pick your to set cost

Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.

10-yr net gain
Break-even
10-yr ROI

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Admissions & profile

86%
Admission rate
1,007
Average SAT
0
Median ACT
1,184
Undergraduates

Location

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.

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