BaccalaureatePublicHBCU

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

Cheyney, Pennsylvania·Public, 4-year or above·Mid East·cheyney.edu
6-yr Graduation
41%
-18.0pp vs Baccalaureate
Total enrollment
617
peer median 1,527
Avg net price
$14,265
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AboutOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR OfficeDocumentsAlumni

About

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania (CU) is a public historically black university in Cheyney, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1837 as the Institute for Colored Youth, it is the oldest of all historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the United States. It is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The university offers bachelor's degrees and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
41%-18.0pp vs Baccalaureate
4-year graduation
32%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
41%
Full-time retention
69%

Pell equity

11.7pp gap
Pell recipients
45%29 of 65
Non-Pell (all)
33%12 of 36
Subsidized loan, no Pell
0%0 of 6
No Federal Aid
40%12 of 30

Pell recipients here graduate at a 11.7-point higher rate than non-Pell students, unusual and worth a closer look.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 20 Title IV programs, 2 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 18 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
20
Passing
2
10.0% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

20programs
  • Passing2 · 10.0%
  • No Data18 · 90.0%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
1
Safe
1
No data
18

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

2
Business Administration Management and Operations
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+24.9%
$44,072 vs $35,274
Sociology
Bachelor Degree · Social Sciences
+35.8%
$47,889 vs $35,274

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

2
Business Administration Management and Operations
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
57%
$24,949 debt · $44,072 earn
Sociology
Bachelor Degree · Social Sciences
51%
$24,500 debt · $47,889 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Accredited since 1951Next review Jan 2031

Programmatic accreditations · 1

Action history · 6

  1. Jun 2024Accreditation Reaffirmed: Probation Removed
    Middle States Commission on Higher Education
  2. Nov 2023Probation or Equivalent or a More Severe Status: Probation
    Middle States Commission on Higher Education
  3. Feb 2022Approved for Distance Education
    Middle States Commission on Higher Education
  4. Nov 2019Renewal of Accreditation
    Middle States Commission on Higher Education
  5. Oct 2019Heightened Monitoring or Focused Review
    Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$13,585
$30–48k$12,358
$48–75k$14,773
$75–110k$20,215
$110k+$16,493

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price
$14,265
vs Baccalaureate median $14,265
Federal loans
57.7%
In-state tuition
$10,904
Out-of-state
$18,870

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 472 students received $3.0M in Pell grants, alongside $2.7M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
472
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$3.0M
$3,044,580 total
Direct Loans
$2.7M
692 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

0k
’19
0k
’21
0k
’22
0k
’23
0k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$1.3M
339 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$983K
316 loan awards
Parent PLUS$386K
37 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 293 borrowers who entered repayment, 17 (5.8%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
5.8%
+3.5pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
293
Defaulted
17
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
25.6%
2017
23.3%
2018
11.3%
2019
5.8%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Cheyney

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs16
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

73 total completions
01Biological Sciences
2027.4%
02Business
1419.2%
03Psychology
1317.8%
04Social Sciences
1115.1%
05Communication
56.8%
06Education
56.8%
07Liberal Arts
34.1%
08Parks/Recreation
22.7%
09Mathematics
00.0%
10English Language
00.0%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
617
12-mo unduplicated
638
Undergraduate
638
Graduate
0

Gender split

Men
34%216
Women
66%422

Race / ethnicity composition

Black
87.8%
Hispanic
5.5%
Two or more
4.4%
Asian
1.3%
White
0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.3%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

EADA
Athletes
41
15 M · 26 W
Women athletes
63.4%
Athletic aid
$0
Total student aid
Budget
$816K
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$0
$0
Recruiting expense
$0
$0
Head-coach salaries
$55K
$56K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 3

Basketball
15 M · 10 W
$408K
Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
14 M · 9 W
$157K
Volleyball
— · 11 W
$164K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
0.00
0 offenses · 724 students

3-year trend

1.562 yrs ago1.431 yr ago0.00Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
2
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
5
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
2

Criminal offenses by type

No criminal offenses reported.

By location

0total

    VAWA offenses

    2
    Domestic violence
    1
    Dating violence
    0
    Stalking
    3 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

    Hate crimes by bias

    No hate crimes reported.

    Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

    CategoryArrestsReferrals
    Weapons11
    Drugs13
    Liquor00

    Residence-hall fires

    No residence-hall fires reported.

    Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

    Student-faculty ratio

    Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

    IPEDS
    Student-to-faculty
    15.0:1
    Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
    33

    Cheyney vs Peer comparison

    The peer institutions Cheyney selected for federal comparison reporting.

    IPEDS
    GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
    This institutionPeer median

    A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

    Carnegie
    SubjectCheyney University of Pennsylvania
    		41%—617$14,265Baccalaureate
    Charter Oak State College
    		100%—2,012$15,815Baccalaureate
    CUNY Medgar Evers College
    		20%86.1%3,736$5,718Baccalaureate
    Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
    		56%89.7%896$16,068Baccalaureate
    New College of Florida
    		67%73.2%881$7,195Baccalaureate
    St. Mary's College of Maryland
    		70%68.6%1,630$18,441Baccalaureate
    SUNY at Purchase College
    		63%74.0%3,333$18,913Baccalaureate
    University of Mary Washington
    		66%79.8%3,826$20,667Baccalaureate
    University of Minnesota-Morris
    		63%74.9%981$8,837Baccalaureate
    University of New Hampshire at Manchester
    		59%80.9%663$9,992Baccalaureate
    University of North Carolina Asheville
    		54%91.9%3,056$12,250Baccalaureate
    University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg
    		40%95.2%1,321$17,945Baccalaureate
    University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
    		44%65.8%1,027$6,624Baccalaureate
    University of Virginia's College at Wise
    		47%28.5%2,167$9,210Baccalaureate
    Virginia Military Institute
    		76%71.2%1,527$17,113Baccalaureate
    Peer group median59%74.9%1,527$14,265

    Institutions like Cheyney

    Explore the federal data for institutions in Cheyney's comparison group.

    IPEDS

    Cheyney Institutional Research office

    The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

    Office
    Institutional Research & Assessment
    Email
    EShehata [at] cheyney.edu
    Phone
    610-399-2276
    Address
    Biddle Hall, Room 205

    The mission of Institutional Research & Assessment (IRA) is to collect, analyze, organize, disseminate, and communicate data and institutional information to support the University. IRA is also responsible for campus-wide coordination of assessment activities and assists in the development of a culture of assessment directed at continuous improvement based on data-driven decisions and adjustments.

    Visit IR office page
    Team
    5 members
    • Erika Shehata
      Executive Director of Institutional Research & Assessment
    • Dr. Lauren DeCrosta
      Director of Assessment
    • Heather Doyle
      Director of Policy and Compliance
    • Linda Brawner
      Coordinator of Instructional Design and Teaching Innovation
    • Dawn Muchison
      Administrative Assistant II

    Reports & documents (2)

    Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.

    Notable alumni of Cheyney (24)

    A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.

    • Reba Dickerson-Hill
      Art
    • Octavius Catto
      Activism
    • Joseph E. Lee
      Law
    • Rebecca J. Cole
      Medicine
    • James B. Dudley
      Education
    • Josephine Silone Yates
      Civil Rights
    • Julian Abele
      Architecture
    • Bayard Rustin
      Civil Rights
    • S. Howard Woodson
      Politics
    • Marcus Foster
      Education
    • Don Evans
      Theatre
    • Ed Bradley
      Journalism
    Showing 1–12 of 24
    1 / 2

    Frequently asked questions about Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

    Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Cheyney.

    What is the graduation rate at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania?

    Cheyney University of Pennsylvania reports a 6-year graduation rate of 41% per the latest IPEDS.

    How many students attend Cheyney University of Pennsylvania?

    Cheyney University of Pennsylvania reports a total enrollment of 617 students per the latest IPEDS.

    What is the average net price at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania?

    The average net price at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is $14,265 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

    Where is Cheyney University of Pennsylvania located?

    Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is located in Cheyney, Pennsylvania 19319-0200.

    Who runs Institutional Research at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania?

    Cheyney University of Pennsylvania's IR work is done by the Institutional Research & Assessment.

    About the data on this page

    Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

    IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
    Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
    National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
    College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
    Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
    U.S. Department of Education
    FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
    Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
    U.S. Department of Education
    DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
    Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
    U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
    Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
    Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
    U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
    Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
    Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
    U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
    Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
    Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
    U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
    Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
    Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
    U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
    Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
    Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
    U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
    Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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