National university
Howard University
Washington, DC · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $50,539 a year
Median debt at graduation: $24,500 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#61 of 1,046
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#91 of 950
- Best colleges for nursing in America#105 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#117 of 1,132
- Best colleges for marketing in America#93 of 834
- Best colleges for business in America#191 of 1,563
Show 19 more
- Best colleges for education in America#169 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#164 of 1,238
- Best colleges for finance in America#100 of 744
- Best colleges for psychology in America#219 of 1,418
- Best colleges in America#283 of 1,829
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#220 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#209 of 1,283
- Best test-optional colleges in America#244 of 1,481
- Best colleges for history in America#218 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#209 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#218 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#220 of 1,162
- Best colleges for music in America#205 of 1,063
- Most selective colleges in America#132 of 683
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#217 of 1,116
- Best colleges for computer science in America#154 of 750
- Best colleges for engineering in America#164 of 749
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#404 of 1,829
- Colleges where Pell Grant students thrive in America#37 of 154
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.70%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.91%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,213 · ACT 25
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.13 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$14,944
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $54,630 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 10,190 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 27% · Women 73% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 24% |
| Total students | 13,416 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $50,539 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $54,630 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $24,500 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 70% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 56% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 52% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 35% |
| First-year retention | 91% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $63,066 |
| Admission rate | 41% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $45 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $2,015 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 40% |
| Average SAT | 1213 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 560–670 |
| SAT math | 530–650 |
| ACT composite | 22–28 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Solid (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Management information systems | |
| International business | |
| Accounting | |
| Nursing | |
| Business administration | |
| Finance | |
| Marketing | |
| English | |
| Health administration | |
| Public relations | |
| Political science | |
| Economics | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Biology | |
| Health sciences | |
| Other communication, journalism, and related programs | |
| Psychology | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Fine arts | |
| Arts management |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Allied health, Architecture, Area studies, Broadcasting, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Civil engineering, Clinical laboratory science, Computer Systems Analysis, Computer engineering, Computer science, Electrical engineering, Ethnic and gender studies, Family and human development, General studies, History, Journalism, Liberal arts, Mathematics, Mechanical engineering, Music, Nutrition Sciences, Other business, management, marketing, and related support services, Other parks, recreation, leisure, fitness, and kinesiology, Philosophy, Physics, Romance languages, Sociology, Teacher education.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Social sciences | |
| Communication | |
| Health professions | |
| Biology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 2% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 2% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $17,322 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 13 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 4%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 64%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $73,618IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 59% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)About 5 miles away · about 15 minutes by car |
| Town population | 681,294Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | WashingtonIn or next to this city |
| Typical weather | 36°F in January · 80°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Natl Arboretum Dc, MD, about 3 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.07 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.16 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.04 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.09 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.13 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Howard University’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 16% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Howard University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $50,539 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Howard University?
- Howard University admitted 41% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Howard University’s graduates do?
- 70% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $63,066; the median federal debt at graduation is $24,500.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 131520
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (high research)
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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Colleges like this one
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