41.3%
Acceptance Rate
$35,810
Avg Cost (In-State)
$35,810
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
69.3%
Graduation Rate
10,108
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
February 15
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Action)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
1
Application Fee
$45
Interview
Not required
Essays: Common App personal essay required (250-650 words)
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. | $39,120 | $67,881 | 89 |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other. | $25,878 | $59,909 | 84 |
| Political Science and Government. | $31,897 | $65,733 | 76 |
| Biology, General. | $28,696 | $60,923 | 66 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $79,646 | $94,136 | 55 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | $81,074 | $80,094 | 37 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. | $30,733 | $61,316 | 36 |
| Psychology, General. | $18,934 | $59,069 | 31 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
Write a review →Verified with .edu email. We moderate for spam/abuse, never for sentiment. Reviewer names stay private.
No verified reviews of Howard University yet.
Are you a current student here? Be the first to share what you wish you'd known before enrolling.
Verify with .edu and write oneWhat will you actually pay?
Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at Howard University
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend Howard University
Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Howard University Founders Scholarship
Full tuition + fees + room/board
universityTop Howard incoming freshmen with academic merit + leadership.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG)
Up to $10,000/year (publics) or $2,500/year (privates)
stateDC residents attending out-of-state public universities (covers OOS tuition difference) or eligible DC-area privates.
Deadline: June 30
Learn more ↗George Washington University Trustee Distinguished Scholarship
$20,000-$30,000/year
universityTop GW incoming freshmen via tiered automatic merit.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Georgetown Need-Met Aid
100% need met; loans capped
universityAll admitted Georgetown students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗Howard University Capstone Scholarship
Full tuition + fees + room/board
universityTop Howard incoming freshmen via competitive process.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Howard University Founder's Scholarship
Full tuition
universityTop Howard incoming freshmen via competitive process; named flagship at HBCU.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Howard Bison Scholarship
$5,000-$15,000/year
universityHoward incoming freshmen via tiered automatic merit; below Capstone tier.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Georgetown McDonough Provost Scholarship
Up to $25,000/year
universityTop Georgetown McDonough Business undergrads with academic merit.
Deadline: Through institution
Learn more ↗PFLAG DC Metro Scholarship
$1,000-$3,000
localLGBTQ+ HS seniors in DC/MD/VA region.
Deadline: April
Learn more ↗Net price by income
What it actually costs your family.
Average net price (tuition, fees, room/board minus grant aid) by household income tier, AY 2023–24. Source: IPEDS NPRC1.
| Household income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0 – $30,000 | $23,100 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $26,800 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $33,100 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $41,800 |
| $110,001+ | $49,400 |
Cost calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for Howard University →
Type your household income and get a per-family estimate, plus % off sticker and a methodology breakdown.
Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
47.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
22.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
6.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
89.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
34.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
86.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
65.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Considered
Visiting, attending info sessions and opening admissions emails meaningfully helps your chances. Track your touchpoints.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
The University of Tampa
Tampa, FL
40.3% acceptance
Both admit around 40% of applicants, with 11k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Berklee College of Music
Boston, MA
43.5% acceptance
Both admit around 44% of applicants, with 7k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Binghamton University
Vestal, NY
38.6% acceptance
Both admit around 39% of applicants, with 15k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
University of South Florida
Tampa, FL
43.2% acceptance
Similar selectivity (43% vs 41%) but out-of-state cost runs $17k — meaningfully less than $36k.
Florida A&M University
Tallahassee, FL
38% acceptance
Similar selectivity (38% vs 41%) but out-of-state cost runs $18k — meaningfully less than $36k.
North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro, NC
49.9% acceptance
Similar selectivity (50% vs 41%) but out-of-state cost runs $21k — meaningfully less than $36k.
Reaches above this college
Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans, LA
14% acceptance
Same u setting in the South, but more selective (14% vs 41%) — a stretch target if Howard University is already on your list.
Georgetown University
Washington, DC
12.9% acceptance
Same u setting in the South, but more selective (13% vs 41%) — a stretch target if Howard University is already on your list.
Tulane University
New Orleans, LA
11% acceptance
Same u setting in the South, but more selective (11% vs 41%) — a stretch target if Howard University is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
San Juan, PR
54.6% acceptance
Same u setting in the region, but higher admit rate (55% vs 41%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Florida International University
Miami, FL
54.7% acceptance
Same u setting in the South, but higher admit rate (55% vs 41%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA
55.4% acceptance
Same u setting in the South, but higher admit rate (55% vs 41%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Ready to dig deeper?
Get your personalized research report for Howard University — scholarships, admissions strategy, costs, and a step-by-step playbook.