Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants.
41%
SAT 25th-75th percentileThe middle range of SAT scores for admitted students: a quarter scored below the low number and a quarter scored above the high number.
1090–1320
Undergrad enrollment
10,108
Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost.
$50,539
In-state tuition
$35,810
Out-of-state tuition
$35,810
Avg ACT
24
Avg SAT
1125
Net Price
$30,028
Total Cost
$59,288
Student Body
86% Black
Notable Alumni
Thurgood Marshall, Toni Morrison, Kamala Harris
Acceptance Rate
30-41%
4-Year Grad Rate
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.
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.
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.
Howard's academic muscle flexes across 120+ undergraduate programs, with particular dominance in fields shaping Black professional leadership:
#1 HBCU for business, computer science, economics, engineering, and psychology (U.S. News)
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
