Admit rate has ranged 35%–53% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Howard University isn't just an HBCU—it's a cultural institution with global reach, where Black excellence is both curriculum and creed. With a 30-41% acceptance rate and SAT scores averaging 1125, Howard attracts ambitious students who want to study everything from Afro-American Studies to engineering at the 'Mecca' of historically Black institutions. Campus life pulses with Greek traditions, activism, and an unapologetic celebration of Black identity, while alumni outcomes reveal a network that opens doors from Wall Street to Capitol Hill.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Letters of recommendation
College-prep program
Considered (not required)
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
Demonstrated competencies
TOEFL (non-native English)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
10,108
In-state tuition
$35,810
Out-of-state tuition
$35,810
Total Cost
$59,288
Student Body
86% Black
Notable Alumni
Thurgood Marshall, Toni Morrison, Kamala Harris
Acceptance Rate
30-41%
4-Year Grad Rate
69-70%
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$63,066
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
1.2×
Median debt at graduation
$24,500
Graduation rate
70%
First-year retention
91%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
35%
Pell (lower-income) share
68%
First-generation share
24%
Endowment / student
$102,147
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions$91,744
Chemical Engineering$84,653
Computer Systems Analysis$82,440
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$80,041
Management Information Systems and Services$70,456
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
12
Per 1,000 students
1.19
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
86
Summer high
86°F
Winter low
31°F
Annual rain
55.6"
Annual snow
10.9"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively High
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
344
Scholarly works
28,999
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
4.0%
Bottom → top quintile
37%
From bottom quintile
11%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Howard University?
Howard University's acceptance rate is approximately 41% (Washington, DC), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Howard University?
Admitted students at Howard University typically score 1090–1320 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Howard University cost?
At Howard University, the average net price (after aid) is about $50,539 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Howard University?
Howard University enrolls approximately 10,108 undergraduate students.
Where is Howard University located?
Howard University is located in Washington, DC.
Admissions
Howard's selectivity has tightened dramatically in recent years, with the Class of 2028 seeing a record 37,000 applications for just 30-32% acceptance—down from 41% in prior years. The middle 50% SAT range hovers between 1050-1250 (average 1125), while ACT composites average 24. Notably, 71% of admitted students rank in the top quarter of their high school class. Early action isn't offered, but Howard does participate in early admission for high school students seeking to enroll full-time before graduation.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
$69,547
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions$67,660
Business Administration, Management and Operations$63,005
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Most popular majors: Business (22%), Social Sciences (16%), and Communications (12%)
Signature programs: Afro-American Studies (one of the first departments of its kind nationally), the dual-degree engineering program with Columbia, and the Cathy Hughes School of Communications
Since 1867, Howard has awarded over 130,000 degrees, with curricula that consistently center African diasporic perspectives—whether in literature seminars or medical school pipelines.
Homecoming isn't an event at Howard—it's a pilgrimage. The Yard transforms into a reunion of Black joy, with step shows, celebrity sightings (from Chadwick Boseman to Kamala Harris), and lectures that feel like family cookout debates. Key vibes:
Greek life dominates: Alpha Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority was founded here in 1908, and Divine Nine organizations maintain fierce rivalries
Activism runs deep: Students regularly organize around issues like campus safety and Palestinian solidarity, continuing the LegacyAn applicant whose parent (or sometimes other close relative) attended the college. Some schools give a small edge to legacy applicants. of alumni like Stokely Carmichael
'The Mecca' mentality: 86% of students are Black, creating what one Redditor called 'a Black utopia where you're never the only one in the room'
Clubs range from the Hilltop (student newspaper) to competitive hackathons, but the real curriculum happens in late-night conversations at the Punchout dining hall.
Sticker shock is real ($59,288 total cost), but Howard delivers substantial aid:
Net price: $30,028 after average aid
Financial aid reach: 71.52% of students receive packages averaging $25,683
Key discounts: LegacyAn applicant whose parent (or sometimes other close relative) attended the college. Some schools give a small edge to legacy applicants. scholarships (5-15% off tuition) and DC resident grants
The financial aid office warns that CSS Profile delays can bottleneck awards—early FAFSA submission is critical for maximizing support.
Howard isn't just a university—it's the intellectual headquarters of Black America. Where else can you:
Attend lectures by sitting Cabinet members between classes on Yoruba cosmology
Spot future Congressmembers debating at the campus Starbucks
Join a research team that literally wrote the textbook on African diasporic studies (see: Alain Locke's LegacyAn applicant whose parent (or sometimes other close relative) attended the college. Some schools give a small edge to legacy applicants.)
The tradeoff? Facilities sometimes lag behind peer institutions (students gripe about dorm AC), but as one Redditor put it: 'You're paying for the network, not the pillows.' For students seeking an education where Black history isn't elective but essential, Howard remains peerless.
Howard University logo · sourceCampus & Department of Music Facilities | Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts · sourceHoward University - Profile, Rankings and Data | US News Best Colleges · sourceHoward University - Washington, DC | Appily · source
