BaccalaureatePrivate (nonprofit)HBCU

Wilberforce University

Wilberforce, Ohio·Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above·Great Lakes·wilberforce.edu

Wilberforce University's acceptance rate is 40.5% (2024). Its six-year graduation rate is 12% and its four-year rate is 6% (2024). Tuition and fees are $16,448 (2024). Fall enrollment is 838 students, and 856 enrolled over the full 12-month year (2024). Source: IPEDS.

Acceptance
40.5%
-26.0pp vs Baccalaureate
6-yr graduation
12%
-29.0pp vs Baccalaureate
Total enrollment
838
peer median 527
Avg net price
$5,567
-$15k vs Baccalaureate
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AboutAdmissionsOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR OfficeDocumentsAlumni

About

Wilberforce University (WU) is a private university in Wilberforce, Ohio, United States. It is one of three historically black universities established before the American Civil War. Founded in 1856 by the Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC), it is named after English statesman and abolitionist William Wilberforce. In 1863, it was sold to the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), which had ties to the school since its inception. WU remains affiliated with the AME.

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

IPEDS
Applied
6,338
6,338 candidates competed
Admitted
2,567
40.5% acceptance rate
Enrolled
210
8.2% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

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

IPEDS
Overall completion
12%
4-year graduation
6%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
12%-29.0pp vs Baccalaureate
Full-time retention
74%

Pell equity

Pell recipients
12%28 of 233

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 35 Title IV programs, 1 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 34 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
35
Passing
1
2.9% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

35programs
  • Passing1 · 2.9%
  • No Data34 · 97.1%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
0
Safe
1
No data
34

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.

1
Business Management Marketing and Related Support Services Other
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+49.8%
$52,144 vs $34,808

Debt vs earnings

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

1
Business Management Marketing and Related Support Services Other
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
30%
$15,750 debt · $52,144 earn

Accreditation status & history

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

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Higher Learning Commission

Accredited since 1962Next review Aug 2026
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Higher Learning Commission

Accredited since 1939

Action history · 6

  1. Oct 2024Accreditation Reaffirmed: Warning Removed
    Higher Learning Commission
  2. Nov 2023Probation or Equivalent or a More Severe Status: Warning
    Higher Learning Commission
  3. Nov 2021Accreditation Reaffirmed: Probation Removed
    Higher Learning Commission
  4. Nov 2020Probation or Equivalent or a More Severe Status: Probation
    Higher Learning Commission
  5. Jun 2018Probation or Equivalent or a More Severe Status: Probation
    Higher Learning Commission

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$5,630
$30–48k$5,313
$48–75k$5,211
$75–110k$5,217
$110k+$5,226

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

Avg net price (private)
$5,567
-$15,384vs Baccalaureate median $20,951
Federal loans
97.3%
Tuition and fees
$16,448

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, 603 students received $4.0M in Pell grants, alongside $4.8M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
603
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$4.0M
$4,036,339 total
Direct Loans
$4.8M
1,211 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

0k
’20
0k
’21
0k
’22
1k
’23
1k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$2.0M
551 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$1.8M
550 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$222K
15 loan awards
Parent PLUS$806K
95 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 292 borrowers who entered repayment, 21 (7.1%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
7.1%
+4.8pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
292
Defaulted
21
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
24.6%
2017
26.6%
2018
31.7%
2019
7.1%
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 Wilberforce

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs22
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

72 total completions
01Business
3244.4%
02Health Professions
1622.2%
03Public Admin
45.6%
04Engineering
45.6%
05Biological Sciences
45.6%
06Psychology
45.6%
07Communication
34.2%
08Social Sciences
34.2%
09Computer Sciences
11.4%
10English Language
11.4%

Enrollment trends & demographics

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

IPEDS
Fall total
838
12-mo unduplicated
856
Undergraduate
837
Graduate
19

Gender split

Men
47%404
Women
53%452

Race / ethnicity composition

Black
99.3%
Non-resident
0.4%
White
0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.1%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

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

EADA
Athletes
109
57 M · 52 W
Women athletes
47.7%
Athletic aid
$0
Total student aid
Budget
$809K
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$0
$0
Recruiting expense
$0
$0
Head-coach salaries
$59K
$55K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 5

Basketball
20 M · 16 W
$205K
Baseball
34 M · —
$159K
Cross Country
9 M · 10 W
$37K
Volleyball
— · 14 W
$113K
Gymnastics
— · 12 W
$246K

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
1.62
1 offenses · 617 students

3-year trend

8.982 yrs ago6.101 yr ago1.62Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
10
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
3
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
1

Criminal offenses by type

Burglary
1

By location

1total
  • On campus1

Includes 1 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

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

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons01
Drugs00
Liquor21

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
12.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
41

Wilberforce vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Wilberforce selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
6-yr gradRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
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
SubjectWilberforce University
12%40.5%838$5,567Baccalaureate
Alaska Pacific University
42%96.5%593$21,616Baccalaureate
Alice Lloyd College
39%75.2%589$18,600Baccalaureate
Beacon College
58%43.5%531$53,517Baccalaureate
Bethel College-North Newton
37%93.5%509$32,917Baccalaureate
Blackburn College
57%63.2%513$18,460Baccalaureate
Central Baptist College
35%63.5%547$12,287Baccalaureate
Central Christian College of Kansas
26%52.7%469$11,404Baccalaureate
Defiance College
31%47.5%568$26,337Baccalaureate
Eureka College
41%85.0%527$17,349Baccalaureate
Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary
65%67.5%611$16,282Baccalaureate
Gods Bible School and College
47%75.3%431$9,329Baccalaureate
Hannibal-LaGrange University
48%72.6%499$22,814Baccalaureate
John Paul the Great Catholic University
64%79.6%286$34,666Baccalaureate
Kentucky Christian University
37%60.9%550$24,038Baccalaureate
Life Pacific University
38%95.8%621$20,898Baccalaureate
Mitchell College
41%94.7%442$30,260Baccalaureate
Montserrat College of Art
53%Open admission227$33,216Baccalaureate
Morris College
17%Open admission383$20,555Baccalaureate
Northland College
50%75.0%286$36,119Baccalaureate
Southwestern Christian University
15%62.1%399$20,146Baccalaureate
Sterling College
41%48.2%694$22,371Baccalaureate
Trinity Baptist College
28%53.3%427$20,011Baccalaureate
University of Valley Forge
49%61.2%589$32,265Baccalaureate
Villa Maria College
29%86.6%611$13,494Baccalaureate
Voorhees University
43%65.4%578$13,335Baccalaureate
Warner Pacific University
49%71.1%378$25,629Baccalaureate
Welch College
61%Open admission389$25,263Baccalaureate
York University
47%51.9%532$20,951Baccalaureate
Peer group median41%66.5%527$20,951

Institutions like Wilberforce

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

IPEDS
  • BaccalaureateAlaska

    Alaska Pacific University

    Grad rate
    42%
    Admit rate
    96.5%
    Enrollment
    593
    Net price
    $21,616
  • BaccalaureateKentucky

    Alice Lloyd College

    Grad rate
    39%
    Admit rate
    75.2%
    Enrollment
    589
    Net price
    $18,600
  • BaccalaureateFlorida

    Beacon College

    Grad rate
    58%
    Admit rate
    43.5%
    Enrollment
    531
    Net price
    $53,517
  • BaccalaureateKansas

    Bethel College-North Newton

    Grad rate
    37%
    Admit rate
    93.5%
    Enrollment
    509
    Net price
    $32,917
  • BaccalaureateIllinois

    Blackburn College

    Grad rate
    57%
    Admit rate
    63.2%
    Enrollment
    513
    Net price
    $18,460
  • BaccalaureateArkansas

    Central Baptist College

    Grad rate
    35%
    Admit rate
    63.5%
    Enrollment
    547
    Net price
    $12,287
  • BaccalaureateKansas

    Central Christian College of Kansas

    Grad rate
    26%
    Admit rate
    52.7%
    Enrollment
    469
    Net price
    $11,404
  • BaccalaureateOhio

    Defiance College

    Grad rate
    31%
    Admit rate
    47.5%
    Enrollment
    568
    Net price
    $26,337
  • BaccalaureateIllinois

    Eureka College

    Grad rate
    41%
    Admit rate
    85.0%
    Enrollment
    527
    Net price
    $17,349
  • BaccalaureateIowa

    Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary

    Grad rate
    65%
    Admit rate
    67.5%
    Enrollment
    611
    Net price
    $16,282
  • BaccalaureateOhio

    Gods Bible School and College

    Grad rate
    47%
    Admit rate
    75.3%
    Enrollment
    431
    Net price
    $9,329
  • BaccalaureateMissouri

    Hannibal-LaGrange University

    Grad rate
    48%
    Admit rate
    72.6%
    Enrollment
    499
    Net price
    $22,814
  • BaccalaureateCalifornia

    John Paul the Great Catholic University

    Grad rate
    64%
    Admit rate
    79.6%
    Enrollment
    286
    Net price
    $34,666
  • BaccalaureateKentucky

    Kentucky Christian University

    Grad rate
    37%
    Admit rate
    60.9%
    Enrollment
    550
    Net price
    $24,038
  • BaccalaureateCalifornia

    Life Pacific University

    Grad rate
    38%
    Admit rate
    95.8%
    Enrollment
    621
    Net price
    $20,898
  • BaccalaureateConnecticut

    Mitchell College

    Grad rate
    41%
    Admit rate
    94.7%
    Enrollment
    442
    Net price
    $30,260
  • BaccalaureateMassachusetts

    Montserrat College of Art

    Grad rate
    53%
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    227
    Net price
    $33,216
  • BaccalaureateSouth Carolina

    Morris College

    Grad rate
    17%
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    383
    Net price
    $20,555
  • BaccalaureateWisconsin

    Northland College

    Grad rate
    50%
    Admit rate
    75.0%
    Enrollment
    286
    Net price
    $36,119
  • BaccalaureateOklahoma

    Southwestern Christian University

    Grad rate
    15%
    Admit rate
    62.1%
    Enrollment
    399
    Net price
    $20,146
  • BaccalaureateKansas

    Sterling College

    Grad rate
    41%
    Admit rate
    48.2%
    Enrollment
    694
    Net price
    $22,371
  • BaccalaureateFlorida

    Trinity Baptist College

    Grad rate
    28%
    Admit rate
    53.3%
    Enrollment
    427
    Net price
    $20,011
  • BaccalaureatePennsylvania

    University of Valley Forge

    Grad rate
    49%
    Admit rate
    61.2%
    Enrollment
    589
    Net price
    $32,265
  • BaccalaureateNew York

    Villa Maria College

    Grad rate
    29%
    Admit rate
    86.6%
    Enrollment
    611
    Net price
    $13,494
  • BaccalaureateSouth Carolina

    Voorhees University

    Grad rate
    43%
    Admit rate
    65.4%
    Enrollment
    578
    Net price
    $13,335
  • BaccalaureateOregon

    Warner Pacific University

    Grad rate
    49%
    Admit rate
    71.1%
    Enrollment
    378
    Net price
    $25,629
  • BaccalaureateTennessee

    Welch College

    Grad rate
    61%
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    389
    Net price
    $25,263
  • BaccalaureateNebraska

    York University

    Grad rate
    47%
    Admit rate
    51.9%
    Enrollment
    532
    Net price
    $20,951

Wilberforce Institutional Research office

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

Office
Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Assessment & Research
Phone
937-971-4048
Address
1055 N. Bickett Rd., P.O. Box 1001, Wilberforce, OH 45384

The mission of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Assessment & Research is to produce high quality information and analyses that supports University strategic initiatives and other related activities in support of planning, assessment, and decision-making, and to facilitate institutional effectiveness that advances the mission of Wilberforce University.

Visit IR office page
Team
1 member
  • Dr. Lisa Bunu Ncube

Reports & documents (2)

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

Notable alumni of Wilberforce (10)

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

  • Charity Adams Earley
    Military
  • Betty Allen
    Music
  • Dorothy Vaughan
    Mathematics
  • William Grant Still
    Music
  • Floyd Flake
    Politics
  • Tiny Bradshaw
    Music
  • Roberta Byrd Barr
    Education
  • Chuck Bowen
    Business
  • Ruth Gaines-Shelton
    Literature
  • Edward Irons
    Business

Frequently asked questions about Wilberforce University

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Wilberforce University.

What is the acceptance rate at Wilberforce University?

Wilberforce University's acceptance rate is 40.5% (2,567 admitted from 6,338 applicants), based on the latest IPEDS.

What is the graduation rate at Wilberforce University?

Wilberforce University's six-year graduation rate is 12% and its four-year rate is 6%, per 2024 IPEDS data.

How many students attend Wilberforce University?

Wilberforce University reports a total enrollment of 838 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Wilberforce University?

The average net price at Wilberforce University is $5,567 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Wilberforce University?

Wilberforce University's yield rate is 8.2%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Wilberforce University located?

Wilberforce University is located in Wilberforce, Ohio 45384-1001.

Who runs Institutional Research at Wilberforce University?

Wilberforce University's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Assessment & Research.

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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published 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 & loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant and Direct Loan recipient counts, award amounts, 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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