Wilberforce University

Wilberforce, OH
1055 N Bickett Rd, Wilberforce, OH 45384-1001
937-376-2911

Wilberforce University is a private, historically black university located in Wilberforce, Ohio. The university is affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church. It was the first college to be owned and operated by African Americans.

The university was founded in 1856 by the AME Church. It was named after British abolitionist William Wilberforce. The university's first president was Bishop Daniel A. Payne, who also served as the first African American bishop of the AME Church.

Under Payne's leadership, the university grew rapidly. It added a number of new buildings and programs, and by the end of the 19th century it was one of the largest black colleges in the United States.

In the early 20th century, the university faced financial difficulties and was forced to close for a time. It reopened in the mid-1920s, but again closed during the Great Depression. It did not reopen until 1941.

Since then, the university has continued to operate. It now offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs. Its campus includes a number of historic buildings, including a National Historic Landmark.



Quick Facts

Enrollment: 453

Acceptance Rate: 61.57%

Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above

Main Website: https://www.wilberforce.edu/

Financial Aid: https://www.wilberforce.edu/financial-aid/

Annual Costs

Total Cost In-State On-Campus: $23450

Total Cost Out-State On-Campus: $23450

Return on Investment Rating

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The estimated cost for four years as an undergraduate at Wilberforce University is $91657.46. This includes the average cost of attendance for four years plus the interest on the average loan over a ten year repayment minus the average of grants and scholarships per student.

We then contrast this figure with average early-career and mid-career average incomes of graduates of four year programs at Wilberforce University. For graduates of Wilberforce University, we saw an average early-career income of $46900.00 and mid-career income of $76400.00. We then ranked the school's value based on how many years of mid-career income it takes to repay the educational costs.