R2 ResearchPrivate nonprofitHBCUMedical
Howard University
6-yr Graduation
70%
-7.0pp vs R2 Research
Enrollment
14,890
peer median 9,259
Avg net price
$47,919
+$16k vs R2 Research
Use this data
About
Howard University is a private, historically black, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. It is the only HBCU with R1 designation.
Admissions & acceptance rate
How selective is this institution, and how many admitted students choose to enroll?
Applied
34,211
34,211 candidates competed
Admitted
14,144
Enrolled
2,738
19.4% yield
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Overall completion
70%-7.0pp vs R2 Research
Overall completion
70%-7.0pp vs R2 Research
4-year graduation
60%
4-year graduation
60%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
70%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
70%
Full-time retention
91%
Full-time retention
91%
Pell equity
5.0pp gap
Pell recipients
66%
Non-Pell
71%
Non-Pell students graduate at a 5.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Aid exceeds costFamily pays
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Avg net price (private)
$47,919
+$15,539vs R2 Research median $32,380
Federal loans
57.1%
In-state tuition
$33,344
Out-of-state
$33,344
Academic programs at Howard
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Distinct CIP programs90
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered
Top program families by completions
2,282 total
01Health Professions
50522.1%
01Health Professions
50522.1%
02Business
37216.3%
02Business
37216.3%
03Social Sciences
29112.8%
03Social Sciences
29112.8%
04Communication
23010.1%
04Communication
23010.1%
05Biological Sciences
2169.5%
05Biological Sciences
2169.5%
06Psychology
1968.6%
06Psychology
1968.6%
07Legal Professions
1546.7%
07Legal Professions
1546.7%
08Public Admin
1275.6%
08Public Admin
1275.6%
09Engineering
974.3%
09Engineering
974.3%
10Computer Sciences
944.1%
10Computer Sciences
944.1%
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Fall total
14,890
12-mo unduplicated
14,631
Undergraduate
11,087
Graduate
3,544
Gender split
Men
30%4,425
Women
70%10,206
Race / ethnicity composition
Black
71.4%
Unknown
7.8%
Hispanic
6.9%
Two or more
5.1%
Non-resident
4.9%
Asian
3.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.4%
White
0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.1%
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Student-to-faculty
13.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
1,052
Howard vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Howard selected for federal comparison reporting.
This institutionPeer median
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectHoward University | 70% | — | 14,890 | $47,919 | R2 Research |
American University | 75% | 62.0% | 12,321 | $41,945 | R2 Research |
Azusa Pacific University | 62% | 88.4% | 6,272 | $19,798 | R2 Research |
Brigham Young University | 81% | 67.8% | 35,873 | $14,487 | R2 Research |
Chapman University | 82% | 65.4% | 9,760 | $47,527 | R2 Research |
Claremont Graduate University | — | — | 1,771 | — | R2 Research |
Clark Atlanta University | 49% | 64.2% | 4,252 | $35,115 | R2 Research |
Clark University | 77% | 39.5% | 3,925 | $27,711 | R2 Research |
Clarkson University | 75% | 77.4% | 3,348 | $31,955 | R2 Research |
Creighton University | 83% | 79.8% | 8,581 | $32,380 | R2 Research |
DePaul University | 68% | 75.9% | 21,210 | $29,141 | R2 Research |
Duquesne University | 77% | 83.6% | 8,234 | $34,978 | R2 Research |
Florida Institute of Technology | 62% | 57.7% | 8,992 | $35,300 | R2 Research |
Fordham University | 82% | 59.3% | 16,150 | $42,581 | R2 Research |
Illinois Institute of Technology | 75% | 54.9% | 8,834 | $19,353 | R2 Research |
Lehigh University | 88% | 25.9% | 7,692 | $33,549 | R2 Research |
Loma Linda University | — | — | 4,210 | — | R2 Research |
Long Island University | 55% | 86.2% | 16,689 | $23,901 | R2 Research |
Loyola Marymount University | 79% | 45.1% | 10,179 | $45,723 | R2 Research |
Loyola University Chicago | 75% | 81.6% | 17,384 | $35,196 | R2 Research |
Marquette University | 83% | 81.3% | 11,746 | $29,237 | R2 Research |
Mercer University | 70% | 68.9% | 9,196 | $22,350 | R2 Research |
Nova Southeastern University | 63% | 73.2% | 20,910 | $31,303 | R2 Research |
Rochester Institute of Technology | 71% | 66.9% | 17,098 | $29,694 | R2 Research |
Saint Louis University | 80% | 75.0% | 17,059 | $27,075 | R2 Research |
Seton Hall University | 69% | 73.3% | 9,571 | $28,921 | R2 Research |
Southern Methodist University | 84% | 63.3% | 12,116 | $41,778 | R2 Research |
Stevens Institute of Technology | 87% | 47.6% | 8,469 | $40,468 | R2 Research |
Teachers College at Columbia University | — | — | 4,401 | — | R2 Research |
Texas Christian University | 85% | 44.5% | 12,938 | $33,531 | R2 Research |
The Catholic University of America | 79% | 82.8% | 5,243 | $32,798 | R2 Research |
The New School | 69% | 63.5% | 9,068 | $55,359 | R2 Research |
Thomas Jefferson University | 69% | 81.0% | 8,238 | $28,163 | R2 Research |
University of Dayton | 80% | 65.4% | 10,506 | $31,236 | R2 Research |
University of New England | 70% | 91.6% | 6,573 | $37,109 | R2 Research |
University of San Diego | 84% | 52.4% | 9,714 | $31,265 | R2 Research |
University of Tulsa | 72% | 61.5% | 3,914 | $23,678 | R2 Research |
Villanova University | 92% | 27.0% | 10,041 | $44,876 | R2 Research |
Wake Forest University | 89% | 21.7% | 9,322 | $28,746 | R2 Research |
Worcester Polytechnic Institute | 90% | 60.2% | 7,584 | $43,273 | R2 Research |
| Peer group median | 77% | 65.4% | 9,259 | $32,380 |
Howard Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
Team
9 members
- Daphne B. BernardAssociate Provost, Institutional Accreditation and Assessment
- Kyron CarterDirector of Institutional Research
- Pavithra SureshDirector of Assessment & Survey Research
- Amleset AbrhaleSenior Research Analyst
- Ruth Charlene FranksAdministrative Officer
- Ruth Charlene FranksAdministrative Officer Institutional Research & Assessment
- Anil LalwaniAssociate Director of Assessment
- Fnu SonumData Analyst
- Alexus LasterGraduate Assistant
Research funding
External research funding from NSF, NIH, HERD, and federal spending sources.
NSF awards
$5,291,716
NIH awards
$3,464,515
USAspending
$164,912,816
All sources
$173,669,047
Reports & documents (4)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookHoward University Annual Report2022The 2021-2022 Howard University Annual Report covers key developments, accomplishments, and challenges faced by the university during this period. Highlights include awards and accolades for students and faculty, financial performance achieving consecutive years of positive results, significant investments in infrastructure, and strategic initiatives to enhance student opportunities and academic programs. The report also discusses the resilience shown by the university community in navigating obstacles such as the pandemic and security threats. Howard University remains committed to its mission of advancing social justice and providing quality education to its diverse student body.howard.edu
- GlossaryGlossary of TermsThe glossary of terms provided by Howard University's Office of Institutional Research and Assessment covers key concepts related to assessment processes used to measure educational outcomes. Terms such as student learning outcomes, formative and summative assessments, and direct versus indirect assessments are defined, highlighting their roles in evaluating the effectiveness of educational programs and student achievement.ira.howard.edu
- Strategic planHoward University Strategic Planning ProcessHoward University's strategic planning process aims to create a comprehensive roadmap to achieve the institution's goals by engaging the community. The plan, rooted in principles of transparency and inclusivity, seeks to increase HU's financial sustainability, enhance its reputation as a top educational destination, and improve organizational processes. The process began in October 2024 and is set to conclude with a finalized plan in 2025, focusing on themes like maximizing strength and enhancing visibility.strategicplan.howard.edu
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