Howard University

www.howard.edu

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2024 Undergraduate Tuition

$35,344

7.5% growth from 2023

2024 Average Net Price

$33,368

After Financial Aid

2024 Acceptance Rate

41.3%

34,211 Applicants

2024 Enrolled Students

14,890

85.4% Full-Time

2024 Graduation Rate

70%

1,048 Graduates

About

Howard University is a higher education institution located in District of Columbia, DC. In 2024, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Howard University were General Biological Sciences (202 degrees awarded), General Political Science & Government (194 degrees), and General Psychology (170 degrees).

In 2024, 2,912 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Howard University. 73.1% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 26.9% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was black or african american (1,914 degrees), 9.2 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (208 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Howard University is $35,344, which is $3,424 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at Howard University is $35,344, which is $3,424 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $33,368.

In 2024, 87% of undergraduate students attending Howard University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 59% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$35,344

2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at Howard University was $35,344. The cost of tuition at Howard University is $3,424 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Howard University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$33,368

2024 Value

11.1%

1 Year Growth

In 2024 Howard University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $33,368. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of Howard University grew by 11.1%.

This chart compares the average net price of Howard University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$19,345

Room and Board

$1,360

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Howard University was of $19,345 in 2024. The cost of room and board increased by 12.9% between 2023 and 2024.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,360. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Howard University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

87%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

59%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

87% of undergraduate students at Howard University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a decline of 2.25% with respect to 2023, when 89% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Howard University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Admissions

Howard University received 34,211 undergraduate applications in 2024, which represents a 12.8% annual growth. Out of those 34,211 applicants, 14,144 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 41.3% acceptance rate.

There were 14,890 students enrolled at Howard University in 2024. 23% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Howard University has an overall enrollment yield of 19.4%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

41.3%

Acceptance Rate in 2024

14,144

Accepted Out of 34,211

In 2024, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Howard University was 41.3% (14,144 admissions from 34,211 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2023, which was 34.9%. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of applicants grew by 12.8%, while admissions grew by 33.6%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Howard University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

23%

Submission Percentage (2024)

626

Scores Submitted (2024)

23% of enrolled first-time students at Howard University in 2024 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Howard University had a total enrollment of 14,890 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at Howard University is 12,712 students and the part-time enrollment is 2,178. This means that 85.4% of students enrolled at Howard University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Howard University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 67.5% Black or African American, 6.53% Hispanic or Latino, 4.33% Two or More Races, 1.65% Asian, 0.806% White, 0.148% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0403% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Howard University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly Black or African American Female (55.3%), followed by Black or African American Male (19%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (5.26%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly Black or African American Female (45.6%), followed by Black or African American Male (23.7%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (4.23%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

85.4%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Howard University in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 14,890 students. The full-time enrollment at Howard University is 12,712 and the part-time enrollment is 2,178. This means that 85.4% of students enrolled at Howard University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.3% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Howard University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

91%

2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Howard University was 91%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (82%), Howard University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Howard University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)

Black or African American
10,050 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
972 enrolled students
Two or More Races
644 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Howard University is 67.5% Black or African American, 6.53% Hispanic or Latino, 4.33% Two or More Races, 1.65% Asian, 0.806% White, 0.148% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0403% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 46.2% White, 16.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 10.4% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 2,179 students (14.6%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2024, 1,348 more women than men received degrees from Howard University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Howard University is black or african american (1,914 degrees awarded). There were 9.2 times more black or african american recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (208 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Howard University is General Biological Sciences (202 degrees awarded), followed by General Political Science & Government (194 degrees) and General Psychology (170 degrees).

In 2024, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Howard University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Legal (157 degrees awarded), Communications (230 degrees), and Architecture and Related Services (42 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Howard University are Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (382,124 people), Other managers (376,938 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (174,108 people), Chief executives & legislators (167,829 people), and Postsecondary teachers (128,174 people).

The most specialized majors at Howard University in 2024 are Legal (157 degrees awarded), Communications (230 degrees), Architecture and Related Services (42 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (31 degrees), and Social Sciences (291 degrees) (as of 2024).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Howard University are Surgeons, Logisticians, Economists, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, and Media and communication workers, all other

The most specialized majors at Howard University are Legal (157 degrees awarded), Communications (230 degrees), Architecture and Related Services (42 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (31 degrees), and Social Sciences (291 degrees) (as of 2024).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Howard University are Elementary & secondary schools (453,753 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (365,345 people), Legal services (323,970 people), Computer Systems Design (295,067 people), and Management, scientific & technical consulting services (212,076 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Howard University.

Dental Hygiene

Most Common (2024)

2 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common 2 to 4 year postsecondary certificate concentration at Howard University was Dental Hygiene with 2 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from 2 to 4 year postsecondary certificate programs at Howard University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

782

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2024

2,130

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2024

In 2024, 782 degrees were awarded to men at Howard University, which is 0.367 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (2,130).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Howard University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2024, 58 degrees were awarded to men at Howard University in Computer Science, which is 1.49 times more than the 39 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2024, 168 degrees were awarded to men at Howard University in General Biological Sciences, which is 4.1 times more than the 41 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

61%

100% Completion Time

70%

150% Completion Time

In 2024, 61% of students graduating from Howard University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 70% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 71% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)

Black or African American
1,914 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
208 degrees awarded
Asian
182 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Howard University is black or african american (1,914 degrees awarded). There were 9.2 times more black or african american recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (208 degrees).

8.59% of degree recipients (250 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)

Black or African American Female
1,430 degrees awarded
Black or African American Female
1,413 degrees awarded
Black or African American Female
1,333 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Howard University is black or african american female (1,430 degrees awarded). There were 1.01 times more black or african american female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american female (1,413 degrees).

Operations

Howard University has an endowment valued at nearly $1.03B, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 107M (10.3%) compared to the 9.4% average return (23.7M on 252M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2024, Howard University had a total salary expenditure of 1.17B. Howard University employs 230 Assistant professors, 223 Associate professors and 174 Professors. Most academics at Howard University are Female Assistant professor (140), Male Associate professor (117), and Female Associate professor (106).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Howard University are: Management, with 487 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 277 employees, and Research with 183 employees.

Endowment

$1.03B

2024 Endowment

11.4%

growth from 2023

Howard University has an endowment valued at about $1.03B, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of Howard University grew 11.4% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $780M higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Howard University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$477M

2024 Salaries

growth from 2023

In 2024, Howard University paid a median of $477M in salaries, which represents 40.6% of their overall expenditure ($1.17B) and a 8% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 14.9% growth between 2022 and 2023, and a 1.94% growth between 2021 and 2022.

Instructional Salaries

$92.8M

Instructional Salaries

850

Number of Employees

In 2024, Howard University paid a total of $92.8M to 850 employees working as instructors, which represents 19.5% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $4.1M (2.29%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Howard University were Management with 487 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 277 employees, and Research with 183 employees.

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