Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
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.
Pell equity
Pell recipients graduate at a higher rate than non-Pell students here — unusual and worth investigating.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
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.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing2 · 10.0%
- No Data18 · 90.0%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
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.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Programmatic accreditations · 1
Action history · 6
- Jun 2024Accreditation Reaffirmed: Probation RemovedMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
- Nov 2023Probation or Equivalent or a More Severe Status: ProbationMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
- Feb 2022Approved for Distance EducationMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
- Nov 2019Renewal of AccreditationMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
- Oct 2019Heightened Monitoring or Focused ReviewMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 500 students received $3.1M in Pell grants, alongside $2.9M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
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.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 293 borrowers who entered repayment, 17 (5.8%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* 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.
Academic programs at Cheyney
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 3
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus1
Includes 1 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
- Tubman Hall1 fireCookingDamage $100-$999
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Cheyney vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Cheyney selected for federal comparison reporting.
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 | $9,837 | Baccalaureate |
| 100% | — | 2,012 | $15,663 | Baccalaureate | |
| 20% | 86.1% | 3,736 | $5,881 | Baccalaureate | |
| 56% | 89.7% | 896 | $18,707 | Baccalaureate | |
| 67% | 73.2% | 881 | $4,536 | Baccalaureate | |
| 70% | 68.6% | 1,630 | $18,362 | Baccalaureate | |
| 63% | 74.0% | 3,333 | $19,067 | Baccalaureate | |
| 66% | 79.8% | 3,826 | $21,108 | Baccalaureate | |
| 63% | 74.9% | 981 | $9,110 | Baccalaureate | |
| 59% | 80.9% | 663 | $13,302 | Baccalaureate | |
| 54% | 91.9% | 3,056 | $12,865 | Baccalaureate | |
| 40% | 95.2% | 1,321 | $17,034 | Baccalaureate | |
| 44% | 65.8% | 1,027 | $8,543 | Baccalaureate | |
| 47% | 28.5% | 2,167 | $11,180 | Baccalaureate | |
| 76% | 71.2% | 1,527 | $18,849 | Baccalaureate | |
| Peer group median | 59% | 74.9% | 1,527 | $13,302 |
Institutions like Cheyney
Explore the federal data for institutions in Cheyney's comparison group.
- BaccalaureateConnecticut
Charter Oak State College
Grad rate100%Admit rate—Enrollment2,012Net price$15,663View data - BaccalaureateNew York
CUNY Medgar Evers College
Grad rate20%Admit rate86.1%Enrollment3,736Net price$5,881View data - BaccalaureateMassachusetts
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Grad rate56%Admit rate89.7%Enrollment896Net price$18,707View data - BaccalaureateFlorida
New College of Florida
Grad rate67%Admit rate73.2%Enrollment881Net price$4,536View data - BaccalaureateMaryland
St. Mary's College of Maryland
Grad rate70%Admit rate68.6%Enrollment1,630Net price$18,362View data - BaccalaureateNew York
SUNY at Purchase College
Grad rate63%Admit rate74.0%Enrollment3,333Net price$19,067View data - BaccalaureateVirginia
University of Mary Washington
Grad rate66%Admit rate79.8%Enrollment3,826Net price$21,108View data - BaccalaureateMinnesota
University of Minnesota-Morris
Grad rate63%Admit rate74.9%Enrollment981Net price$9,110View data - BaccalaureateNew Hampshire
University of New Hampshire at Manchester
Grad rate59%Admit rate80.9%Enrollment663Net price$13,302View data - BaccalaureateNorth Carolina
University of North Carolina Asheville
Grad rate54%Admit rate91.9%Enrollment3,056Net price$12,865View data - BaccalaureatePennsylvania
University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg
Grad rate40%Admit rate95.2%Enrollment1,321Net price$17,034View data - BaccalaureateOklahoma
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
Grad rate44%Admit rate65.8%Enrollment1,027Net price$8,543View data - BaccalaureateVirginia
University of Virginia's College at Wise
Grad rate47%Admit rate28.5%Enrollment2,167Net price$11,180View data - BaccalaureateVirginia
Virginia Military Institute
Grad rate76%Admit rate71.2%Enrollment1,527Net price$18,849View data
Cheyney Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
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- Erika ShehataExecutive Director of Institutional Research & Assessment
- Dr. Lauren DeCrostaDirector of Assessment
- Heather DoyleDirector of Policy and Compliance
- Linda BrawnerCoordinator of Instructional Design and Teaching Innovation
- Dawn MuchisonAdministrative Assistant II
Reports & documents (2)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- Strategic planNew Strategic Plan - Cheyney University of Pennsylvania2026Cheyney University's new Strategic Plan aims to solidify its status as a premier model for academic excellence and social responsibility. Amidst transformative changes in higher education, this plan seeks to leverage the university's historic strengths to innovate in education, research, and business practices. Thanks to the efforts of the campus community and the Strategic Planning and Continuous Improvement Council, the plan focuses on ensuring Cheyney's success far into the future.cheyney.edu
Notable alumni of Cheyney (24)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Reba Dickerson-HillArt
- Octavius CattoActivism
- Joseph E. LeeLaw
- Rebecca J. ColeMedicine
- James B. DudleyEducation
- Josephine Silone YatesCivil Rights
- Julian AbeleArchitecture
- Bayard RustinCivil Rights
- S. Howard WoodsonPolitics
- Marcus FosterEducation
- Don EvansTheatre
- Ed BradleyJournalism
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?
How many students attend Cheyney University of Pennsylvania?
What is the average net price at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania?
Where is Cheyney University of Pennsylvania located?
Who runs Institutional Research at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania?
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