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Howard University

Washington, District of Columbia · Private, a large city · 10,108 undergraduates

A historically Black college or university.

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Is it hard to get into Howard?

The middle half of admitted students scored in these ranges: a quarter scored lower, a quarter higher. Fall 2024 admissions, from the College Scorecard.

Acceptance rate
41.3%
30,342 applied
SAT, middle half
1090 to 1320
Reading plus math, out of 1600
ACT, middle half
22 to 28
Composite, out of 36
Test scores this year
Optional: considered if sent
Does not apply to joint degree programs (BS/MD, BS/DDS, BA/JD); does apply to the Karsh STEM program.
What they look at
  • High school GPARequired
  • Class rankConsidered
  • Courses takenRequired
  • College-prep programRequired
  • RecommendationsRequired
  • EssayRequired
  • PortfolioConsidered

How much does Howard cost?

Sticker prices and what students actually paid after grants, by family income. A year means tuition, fees, room, board, books and other costs.

Tuition and fees
$38,936
A full year, sticker price
$58,032
Living on campus
Average price after grants
$33,002
Students who got federal aid

What a year cost, by family income

Family incomeAverage paid after grants
Under $30,000$28,321
$30,001 to $48,000$28,262
$48,001 to $75,000$30,273
$75,001 to $110,000$31,722
Over $110,000$41,046
Room and board on campus
$18,982 a year; $24,750 off campus
Books and supplies
$1,220 a year
The school's own grants
99% of full-time first-years get one, averaging $18,977

Tuition over the years

Tuition and fees for a year, as reported to the federal government.

$0K$12K$23K$35K$46K201220142016201820202022Howard

How much do Howard students borrow?

Federal student loans only, for students who borrowed.

Typical debt at graduation
$23,750
About $270 a month over ten years
Students who borrow
55.6%
Get a Pell Grant
41%
Federal grant for lower-income families
Over 25 when they start
1.7%

What do Howard graduates earn?

Typical yearly pay of everyone who started here with federal aid, whatever they studied and whether or not they finished.

Six years after starting
$52,918
Ten years after starting
$69,682
Middle half: $41,291 to $101,114
Best-paid program, five years out
$112,021
Mechanical Engineering
Lowest-paid program, five years out
$45,921
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management

Do Howard students finish?

Of the students who started full time, first time.

Back for second year
90.9%
Graduate in six years
73.5%
The four-year figure is for a later, smaller group, so it is not shown
After eight years
69% graduated
23% transferred, 0% still enrolled

Who goes to Howard?

Women
73.3%
First in their family at college
23.6%
Part-time
2.3%
Students per teacher
13
Background
Hispanic 7%, Black 77%, Asian 2%, Two or more 5%, International 5%
Housing
Campus housing, 6,051 beds

What do Howard graduates earn, by program?

Every bachelor's program the school awards, with what its graduates earn and owe. The government hides pay for small programs, so some rows have no figure.

Computer science

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Computer Science137$103,053Hidden$21,395

Engineering

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Chemical Engineering33$83,455$75,980$21,726
Civil Engineering23$73,471HiddenHidden
Computer Engineering25HiddenHiddenHidden
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering24HiddenHiddenHidden
Mechanical Engineering53$80,620$112,021$21,875

Business and commerce

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Accounting and Related Services29Hidden$91,867$23,509
Business Administration, Management and Operations45$76,103$111,849$23,975
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other91$64,923$58,068$23,650
Finance and Financial Management Services126$87,804$111,443$22,873
International Business50$84,496$93,212$23,889
Management Information Systems and Services60$90,054$110,423$24,500
Marketing141$72,105$89,280$22,000

Nursing

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing117$90,669$107,970$24,750

Health sciences and kinesiology

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions10HiddenHiddenHidden
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions21$59,202HiddenHidden
Health and Medical Administrative Services57Hidden$78,059$25,775
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General139$34,809$74,211$23,075
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness137$34,705$53,411$24,000

Life sciences

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Biology, General388$41,189$66,905$23,250

Math and physical sciences

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Chemistry37Hidden$60,209$25,500
Mathematics27HiddenHiddenHidden
Physics14HiddenHiddenHidden

Social sciences

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Area Studies4HiddenHiddenHidden
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other258$34,816$56,555$23,000
Criminal Justice and Corrections116$51,493$66,327$23,250
Economics62$58,734$95,300$26,000
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies22HiddenHiddenHidden
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services34Hidden$72,556$21,237
Political Science and Government342$44,912$74,196$21,500
Psychology, General302$35,162$56,432$22,250
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication183$54,181$73,304$23,250
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication1HiddenHiddenHidden
Sociology69$39,116Hidden$21,000

Arts and humanities

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
English Language and Literature, General61$44,790$77,914$25,500
History21HiddenHiddenHidden
Philosophy16HiddenHiddenHidden
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics10HiddenHiddenHidden

Education (teaching)

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods37HiddenHidden$25,225

Fine and performing arts

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management64$26,199$45,921$24,750
Fine and Studio Arts41$24,784$51,130$22,350
Music24HiddenHidden$25,875

Architecture and design

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Architecture53HiddenHidden$25,700

General arts and science (major chosen later)

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities0HiddenHiddenHidden
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General80HiddenHidden$19,800
Nutrition Sciences40$51,900Hidden$25,747

Other programs

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology, Other28Hidden$52,662Hidden

Compare Howard with other universities

Side by side: acceptance rates, scores, costs and pay.

Where these numbers come from

College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Test policy: the school's page (opens in a new tab). Tuition history, housing and the school's own grants: the federal IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) survey.

How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.

Careerhelp is not affiliated with Howard University. Figures describe past students; check the school's own pages before you apply.

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