Saint Augustine's University

Private · Selective · NC

Photo: Mx. Granger (CC0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationNC · South

SettingUrban

Undergrads172

Student:faculty10:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate14.7%

6-yr grad rate25%

Drop-out rate100%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$17k

Out-of-state tuition$17k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity99.4%

Gender diversity56.4%

International0%

IdentityHBCU · Protestant Episcopal

Overview

Saint Augustine's University is a historically Black university in downtown Raleigh, founded by the Episcopal Church in 1867 to educate freed Black Americans in the aftermath of the Civil War. It combines a close-knit, liberal-arts-and-business academic core with a proud institutional history and a strong sense of mission tied to access and uplift, values still visible in campus life today.

Academics

The academic core centers on liberal arts and business, delivered in small classes typical of an HBCU with a tight-knit campus community where faculty know students individually. Faculty accessibility and mentorship are central to the student experience, and the university's historic mission of educating first-generation and underserved students continues to shape advising and support services on campus.

Campus & student life

Athletics, especially track and field, carry outsized importance and history here — the program has produced Olympic-level athletes and remains a genuine point of institutional pride recognized well beyond the HBCU athletic world. The downtown Raleigh location gives students real access to a growing city, including internships and cultural life, while the campus itself keeps a small, close, community feel typical of a historic HBCU.

Getting in

Like many HBCUs, Saint Augustine's tends toward a holistic, access-oriented admissions philosophy rather than a narrow numeric cutoff, weighing potential and context alongside grades. Community, church, and family ties to the historically Black college tradition can carry real weight in how the university evaluates and welcomes applicants, consistent with its founding mission.

After graduation

Graduates benefit from the tight-knit HBCU alumni network characteristic of historically Black institutions, with track and field alumni in particular carrying the university's name into elite athletic and coaching circles nationally. The university's long history of educating first-generation students also shows up in strong alumni identification with the school's founding mission.

Worth knowing

The track and field legacy is a genuine point of distinction — prospective student-athletes in that sport should know this program's history carries real weight nationally, well out of proportion to the university's size. The downtown Raleigh setting and historic HBCU mission are also worth weighing for students who want a small, mission-driven community over a large campus.

st-aug.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate33.8%

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policynot used

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Applying