The Proof is in the Pudding: The Inequity in HBCU Starting Salaries

This study examines the impact of graduation and obtaining a bachelor’s degree from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) on financial mobility by assessing changes in income over a period post-graduation. HBCUs with baccalaureate programs play an essential role in preparing students from low-income backgrounds and those who are the first ones to go to college from their families for the workforce. This study examines whether HBCU graduates are getting their due in starting salaries, which has an important bearing on future earnings and other important decisions in the early stages of a professional career. In this study, data from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard site is examined to assess financial mobility while controlling for various pre-college characteristics. Graduates from HBCUs are compared against those from non-HBCUs of similar size for developing insights to make a recommendation for parity in starting salaries.