Edward Waters University
Edward Waters University is a private nonprofit university in Jacksonville, FL, with about 1,113 students on campus.
Edward Waters University, in brief
Edward Waters University is a historically Black college
It was founded to educate Black students, and 85% of undergraduates today are Black. The students ↓
Fewer borrowers paying down loans than at most colleges
Only 17% of federal borrowers had paid down any of their loan within three years, fewer than at 99% of U.S. colleges. Outcomes ↓
Most students come from lower-income families
75% of undergraduates receive Pell grants, the federal grant for lower-income students. The students ↓
A lower graduation rate than at most 4-year colleges
Only 28% of students graduate within six years, fewer than at 90% of 4-year colleges. 54% of first-year students come back for a second year. Outcomes ↓
Edward Waters University is mostly about business
54% of the degrees Edward Waters University awards are in business; the next biggest field, psychology, is 15%. Majors ↓
This summary is written from the data on this page. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
The students
1,087 degree-seeking undergraduates.
By race and ethnicity
Women and men
How hard is it to get into Edward Waters University?
of applicants admitted
About 17 of every 20 applicants get in.
Test scores of admitted students
No SAT or ACT ranges reported. Edward Waters University is likely test-optional.
The sticker price, and what families really pay
Sticker price: $26,617 a year
Before any grants
After grants, the average family on aid pays $13,649.
Your family’s price
Average net price after grants, by family income
About $38,972 over 4 years · 63% off the sticker price
Do students finish, and does it pay off?
Paying back loans
Federal student loans, this college
of borrowers paid down at least some of their loan within three years, more than at 1% of U.S. colleges.
Almost none defaulted within three years (payments on federal loans were paused from 2020 to 2023, so recent default rates are near zero everywhere).
Earnings by family background
Median earnings 10 years after starting, by family income at enrollment
What students study, and what it pays
Share of degrees by field
Bachelor’s programs with the most graduates
And their graduates’ median earnings four years later (one year where that’s all that’s reported).
Living in Jacksonville
6% of Jacksonville’s 1,017,689 residents are enrolled in college. What the town is like, from TownRatings’ Jacksonville pages.
Other colleges within 30 miles
Straight-line distances from Edward Waters University; colleges with 100 or more students on campus.
Ask around
Students, parents, alumni and the neighbors next door.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (institution and field-of-study files) and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023); town figures from the Census American Community Survey and NOAA climate normals. Graduation rates count first-time, full-time students; earnings and debt are for students who received federal aid. Distances are straight-line. Colleges are described, not graded (how TownRatings describes colleges). Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.