Howard University

Washington, DC · Private · Large city · Carnegie R1/R2 · HU

Private institution in Washington, DC · 9,604 undergraduates · 35% acceptance rate · $63,066 median earnings 10 years after entry.

Top 9%Acceptance rate
Top 12%Undergraduates
Top 13%Full-time retention
Top 22%Median earnings, 10 years after entry

Stats

College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.

Cost

Average net price: $47,9191,971st cheapest of 1,985 reporting
In-state tuition & fees: $33,3441,437th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees: $33,3441,374th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Cost of attendance: $51,4501,525th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
Median graduate debt: $24,5001,196th lowest of 1,880 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry: $63,066435th highest of 1,969 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry: $47,379699th highest of 1,964 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year): 68.9%467th highest of 2,031 reporting
Full-time retention: 90.1%241st highest of 1,853 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate: 34.9%141st most selective of 1,608 reporting
Average SAT: 1205390th highest of 1,024 reporting
Median ACT: 24421st highest of 954 reporting

Campus

Undergraduates: 9,604266th largest of 2,162 reporting
Student-faculty ratio: 11.0:1619th smallest of 2,159 reporting
Pell Grant share: 40.5%683rd highest of 2,140 reporting

Nearest large-hub airport: 5 mi (DCA)

On 5 of our 111 lists

Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.

Applying

EDNov 15
EANov 15
RDMar 31

Common App member: Yes
Application fee: $45
Personal essay: Required
Writing supplement: No

Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.

Best-paying fields of study

Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 74 reported programs.

Field	Level	1 yr	2 yr
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsHealth Professions	bachelors	$97,071	$91,744
Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$84,653	$80,041
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsHealth Professions	bachelors	$70,176	$67,660
Management Information Systems and ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$69,338	$70,456
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions	bachelors	$67,899	$69,547
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness	bachelors	$66,461	$63,005
Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$64,493	$59,485
Civil EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$59,124	$50,856
Architecture	bachelors	$56,716	$44,971
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsEducation	bachelors	$55,964	—
Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$53,108	$55,964
MarketingBusiness	bachelors	$49,996	$48,667

Campus facts

A Historically Black College or University (HBCU)source
Founded in 1867source
Athletic nickname: "Bison"source
William H. Greene Stadium seats about 10,000source
Competes in NCAA Division Isource
School colors: Blue and Red and Graysource
Mascot: Bisonsource
Motto: "Veritas et Utilitas"source
Athletic conference: MEACsource
Football rivalry: Howard–Morgan State (since 1899)source
Football rivalry: The Real HU (since 1908)source
Fight song: ""Howard University Fight Song""source
Notable alum: Kamala Harrissource
Notable alum: Toni Morrisonsource
Notable alum: Chadwick Bosemansource
Notable alum: Sean Combssource
Notable alum: Zora Neale Hurstonsource

Athletics — 11 sports

NCAA Division I-FCS · NCAA Division I

Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $9,828,459 (M $5,187,982 · W $4,640,477)

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.