Shaw University
Shaw University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Shaw University Featured Rankings
- #4 Best Small Colleges in North Carolina 2026
- #4 Best Christian Colleges in North Carolina 2026
- #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in North Carolina
- #5 Best Private Colleges in North Carolina 2026
- #9 Most Affordable Colleges in North Carolina 2026
- #13 Best Colleges in North Carolina
- #16 Social Work Liberal Arts Colleges
- #35 Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship
About Shaw University
According to Wikipedia, Shaw University is a private Baptist historically black university in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA. Founded on December 1, 1865, Shaw University is the oldest HBCU to begin offering courses in the Southern United States. The school had its origin in the formation of a theological class of freedmen in the Guion Hotel. The following year it moved to a large wooden building, at the corner of Blount and Cabarrus Streets in Raleigh, where it continued as the Raleigh Institute until 1870. In 1870, the school moved to its current location on the former property of Confederate General Barringer and changed its name to the Shaw Collegiate Institute, in honor of Elijah Shaw. In 1875, the school was officially chartered with the State of North Carolina as Shaw University.
Shaw University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10,699 | 80% | 52% | 20% |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Shaw University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $19,278 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $24,057 |
| 30K - 48K | $22,091 |
| 48K - 75K | $25,925 |
| 75K - 110K | $31,486 |
| 110K+ | $31,486 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Shaw University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Shaw University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $38,822 a year, and 90% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Shaw University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 1,078 | 941 | 137 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Shaw University?
Shaw University is located at 118 East South Street, Raleigh, NC 27601.
How Safe is Shaw University?
Relative to its enrollment, Shaw University has a violent crime rate of 1.76% and a property crime rate of 1.24%. Raleigh has a violent crime rate of 0.49% and a property crime rate of 2.84%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Shaw University Known For?
Shaw University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Social Work
- Education
- Political Science
- Communications
- Biology
- Criminal Justice
- Religious Studies
- Sociology
- Computer Science
- Psychology
Shaw University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Shaw University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Shaw University ranks #244 in the U.S. and #573 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesShaw University ranks #247 in the U.S. and #1017 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesShaw University ranks #383 in the U.S. and #1543 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesShaw University ranks #479 in the U.S. and #1745 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesShaw University ranks #536 in the U.S. and #2311 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesShaw University ranks #664 in the U.S. and #1241 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesShaw University ranks #722 in the U.S. and #3342 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.
religious-studies-hub DegreesShaw University ranks #929 in the U.S. and #3137 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesShaw University ranks #1291 in the U.S. and #5492 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesShaw University ranks #1454 in the U.S. and #3826 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesWho Are Shaw University's Most Influential Alumni?
Shaw University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Social Work, Political Science, and History. Here are some of Shaw University's most famous alumni:
- Ella Baker
- An African-American civil rights and human rights activist.
- James E. Shepard
- An Academic, President of North Carolina Central University.
- Willie E. Gary
- An American lawyer.
- Max Yergan
- An American activist.
- Benjamin Arthur Quarles
- An American historian .
- Dorothy Cotton
- An American civil rights activist .
- Angie Brooks
- A Liberian diplomat .
- Lucius Walker
- A Baptist minister.
- Adam Clayton Powell Jr.
- An American politician .
- James E. Cheek
- An American theologian.
- Shirley Caesar
- An American gospel singer, evangelist.
- John O. Crosby
- An American academic.
