Howard University acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Howard University · Private nonprofit · Washington, DC · 10,190 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Howard University admitted 34.9% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 49.3% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $38,936 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 49.3% | 11,687 | 5,762 |
| 2014 | 48.4% | 13,760 | 6,661 |
| 2015 | 49.0% | 15,163 | 7,436 |
| 2016 | 30.0% | 18,225 | 5,468 |
| 2017 | 41.4% | 16,815 | 6,964 |
| 2018 | 31.6% | 20,946 | 6,617 |
| 2019 | 36.1% | 21,006 | 7,578 |
| 2020 | 38.6% | 24,325 | 9,398 |
| 2021 | 35.2% | 29,396 | 10,362 |
| 2022 | 53.4% | 19,188 | 10,253 |
| 2023 | 34.9% | 30,342 | 10,587 |
Applications went from 11,687 in fall 2013 to 30,342 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $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 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $38,936 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $58,032 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $33,002 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 27% submitted the SAT, 10% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar private colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| GWU DC | 43.5% | $70,170 same for all |
| American University DC | 47.4% | $62,242 same for all |
| Georgetown DC | 13.1% | $71,338 same for all |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Howard University in Washington took 10,587 of the 30,342 applications it received for fall 2023, an admit rate of 34.9%.1 The rate has moved a lot from year to year. It was 49.3% in 2013, 30.0% in 2016 and 53.4% in 2022.1 Measured from 2013 to 2023 it is lower by 14.4 percentage points, with declines in 5 of the 10 yearly changes.1 Applications grew 160% over those years, from 11,687 to 30,342, and admitted students grew 84%.1
Howard is test-optional, so applicants may leave out SAT and ACT scores.1
Tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $38,936, the same for all students at this private nonprofit.2 Private colleges in the District report a median of $49,675 across 8 institutions, which is higher than the Howard price.2 In 2024-25 the average net price was $28,321 for families earning $0 to $30,000 and $41,046 for families earning over $110,000.2 Between those bands, families earning $48,001 to $75,000 paid $30,273 on average.2
For students who started in 2019, 74% graduated within 6 years, matching the 74% median of the District's bachelor's colleges.2 The retention rate was 91%, and 41% of undergraduates received Pell grants.2 Median earnings reached $69,682 10 years after entry, and borrowers graduated with a median debt of $23,750.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 30,342 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 10,587 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 2,268 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 10,190 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 560 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 660 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 540 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 638 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 22 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 28 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 27% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 10% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $38,936 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $58,032 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $33,002 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $28,321 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $28,262 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $30,273 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $31,722 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $41,046 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 74% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 91% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 41% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $69,682 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $23,750 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median tuition and fees, private nonprofit colleges, District of Columbia (N = 8) | $49,675 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, private nonprofit bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, District of Columbia (N = 8) | 74% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Howard University, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page