A sobering national study identifying a high school’s poverty level as the single greatest predictor of college success reveals the profound challenges and critical mission of institutions like FAMU, where a majority of students come from the very backgrounds the report shows are most at risk.
The findings from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found a chasm in educational attainment. While 74% of graduates from low-poverty high schools immediately enroll in college, only 51% from high-poverty schools do. Within six years, 59% of students from wealthier schools earn a degree, compared to just 25% from high-poverty schools.
For FAMU the data is not an abstract concept but a reflection of its student body. The median household income for FAMU students is approximately $46,000, according to 2024 data. This stands in stark contrast to the significantly higher median household income of other students across the State University System of Florida where median incomes is just above $98,000, according to 2020 data. At the University of Florida, the median household income was $106,700, students at Florida State University came from slightly richer households at $112,600, and students at the University of Central Florida came in at $94,500, according to the data.
Furthermore, 63% of FAMU students are Pell Grant recipients underscoring that the university is on the front lines of the disparity highlighted in the report. Even with a plethora of students from low-wealth households FAMU has worked to improve its four-year graduation rate from 21.6% in 2017 to 41% in 2024. FAMU has a goal to further increase its four-year graduation to 50 percent in 2025.
“Large differences in college access and degree attainment mean many students don’t see the benefits of higher education opportunities, particularly those from low-income backgrounds,” said Doug Shapiro, executive director of the research center, which based its school poverty levels on eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch programs. “Even with stable enrollment outcomes, the socioeconomic gaps continue to persist.”
The report concluded that a school’s overall poverty rate was a more powerful indicator of collegiate outcomes than individual family income or minority status. This suggests that students from high-poverty high schools often arrive at college facing compounded hurdles, from academic preparation to navigating the hidden curriculum of higher education.
For universities like FAMU, the study underscores the immense importance of their support systems. The institution’s performance is a testament to its ability to help students persist and graduate despite these deeply entrenched national trends.
“This isn’t just data; it’s the story of our students,” said a university official, who emphasized the targeted advising, mentorship and financial support programs FAMU has in place. “We are intensely focused on not just enrolling these students, but ensuring they have the resources to cross the finish line. That’s how we break the cycle.”
"We know that our students can do the work, where the breakdown is when our students are working 30-40 hours a week trying to make ends meet then we see a drop off in their school work," the FAMU administrator added.