Campus & Student Life at Johnson C Smith University

Home to about 1,253 undergraduates in 2020, JCSU is a small, private university located in Charlotte, North Carolina. This urban setting might be best suited for students who like the fast-paced city life. Should you tire of the campus however, JCSU offers a “study abroad” program. Please note, some classes/degrees offered by JCSU can be taken “online” so keep that in mind when reviewing this report. For more context, you might also check out our JCSU Guide to Distance and Online Learning.

JCSU is an "Historically Black College or University" (HBCU)

The Higher Education Act of 1965 established historically black colleges and universities as institutions whose principal mission was the education of African-Americans. Today, the HBCU designation does not necessitate that JCSU is exclusively or even predominantly African-American (though it currently is). Thanks to integration efforts, there are HBCUs with non-black majorities and non-HBCUs with black majorities. For more information you can review the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

JCSU Has a Disability Services Site

For more information on policies and accommodations that the university provides to ensure all students get the opportunity to participate, you can visit JCSU Disability Services.

JCSU for the Military

While not a "service academy", JCSU does offer support for veterans and those seeking a career in the armed forces. There is an active student veterans group on campus. For more information, check out our JCSU for Veterans Guide.

Freshmen Living Arrangements at Johnson C Smith University

JCSU offers on-campus housing, but freshmen are not required to take advantage of it. In the end though, most do choose to live in the dorms.

* Data compiled from students who received financial aid, including loans.

Full-time vs. Part-time Studies at Johnson C Smith University

JCSU has a comparatively small, student body. There were 1,253 undergraduates in 2020. Full-time attendance was 1,191 (95.1%). Part-time attendance was 62 (4.9%).

Johnson C Smith University is Ranked #1,903 for Overall Diversity

Compared to other colleges and universities across the nation, JCSU is about average in terms of overall diversity. We rank JCSU #1903 out of 3,451.

The chart below shows each element that we looked at to determine this ranking, and how that metric compares to the national average. 100 would indicate excellent diversity in each category, and 1 would mean poor diversity.

You can learn more about the diversity of the student body at JCSU by looking closer at the ethnic,  gender,  age, and geographic diversity metrics from the JCSU Diversity Guide.

Johnson C Smith University Competes in the NCAA

JCSU has a total of 280 student athletes, 155 men and 125 women who compete in inter-collegiate athletics.

Athletics Financing

For more information about athletics including per-team sizes, coaching and scholarships check out our Guide to Johnson C Smith University Athletics