Howard University
Howard University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Howard University Featured Rankings
- #1 Most Influential HBCUs
- #2 Best Online MBAs District Of Columbia
- #3 DC's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #3 Best Research Universities in DC 2026
- #3 Best Grad Schools in DC
- #3 Best Private Colleges in DC 2026
- #3 Best Colleges in DC 2026
- #4 Most Influential US Universities by State
- #7 Criminal Justice Research Universities
- #10 Non-GMAT Online MBAs
- #33 Best Private Grad Schools 2026
- #39 Best Undergrad Research Universities 2026
About Howard University
Howard University (HU) was founded in 1867 as an institution of higher education for recently freed African slaves. HU is organized into 13 schools and colleges, which together provide over 120 undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees and certificates—more than are offered by any other historically black university or college in the nation.
HU is especially known for its STEM programs, as well as its programs in social work, in business, and in communication. In addition, HU offers some 470 online courses leading to undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees and certificates.
HU is associated with two Nobel laureates: the novelist, Toni Morrison for literature and the diplomat, Ralph Bunche for peace.
Among the many other distinguished HU-connected individuals, we may mention:
- Philosopher, Alain Locke
- Poet, Amiri Baraka (LeRoi Jones)
- Poet, novelist, and playwright, Paul Laurence Dunbar
- Novelist, E.R. Braithwaite
- Novelist and folklorist, Zora Neale Hurston
- Essayist, author, and editor, Kelly Miller
- Memoirist and essayist, Ta-Nehisi Coates
- Actors—Ossie Davis, Marlon Wayans, Debbie Allen, Taraji P. Henson, Phylicia Rashad, Roxie Roker, Isaiah Washington, Anthony Anderson, Laz Alonso, and Chadwick Boseman
- Comedian, Nick Cannon
- Artist, Mildred Thompson
- Musician, Daryl Davis
- Soprano, Jessye Norman
- Singers, Roberta Flack and Richard Smallwood
- Rapper, Sean Combs (Puff Daddy)
- Astrophysicist, Cheick Modibo Diarra
- Laser cataract surgery pioneer, Patricia Bath
- Educator, Charlene Drew Jarvis
- Historians, Carter G. Woodson and Rosalyn Terborg-Penn
- Sociologist, E. Franklin Frazier
- Psychiatrist, Frances Luella Welsing
- Abolitionist and publisher, Mary Ann Shadd Cary
- Civil rights activists—Andrew Young, Vernon Jordan, James Farmer, and Stokely Carmichael
- Journalist and author, Isabel Wilkerson
- Entrepreneur and television personality, Catherine Liggins Hughes
- News journalist and anchor, Fredricka Whitfield
- Former New York City Mayor, David Dinkins
- Former Virginia Governor, L. Douglas Wilder
- Former US Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall
- US Representative Gregory W. Meeks and the late US Representative Elijah Cummings
- Former US Senators, Edward Brooke and Roland Burris
- Former Guyanese President, Cheddi Jagan
- Former US Vice President and US Senator, Kamala Harris
HU is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
According to Wikipedia, Howard University is a private, federally chartered historically black research university in Washington, D.C., located in the Shaw neighborhood. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity" and accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Howard University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30,342 | 41% | 91% | 74% | 1205 | 25 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Howard University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $38,936 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $28,321 |
| 30K - 48K | $28,262 |
| 48K - 75K | $30,273 |
| 75K - 110K | $31,722 |
| 110K+ | $41,046 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Howard University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Howard University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $69,682 a year, and 92% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Howard University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 14,631 | 11,087 | 3,544 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Howard University?
Howard University is located at 2400 Sixth St NW, Washington, DC 20059.
How Safe is Howard University?
Relative to its enrollment, Howard University has a violent crime rate of 0.08% and a property crime rate of 0.08%. Washington has a violent crime rate of 0.94% and a property crime rate of 3.63%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Howard University Known For?
Howard University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Social Work
- Education
- Political Science
- Law
- History
- Literature
- Sociology
- Criminal Justice
- Medical
- Communications
- Economics
- Business
- Nursing
- Mathematics
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Engineering
- Psychology
- Physics
- Philosophy
- Computer Science
Howard University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Howard University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Howard University ranks #20 in the U.S. and #23 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesHoward University ranks #26 in the U.S. and #80 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesHoward University ranks #32 in the U.S. and #106 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesHoward University ranks #33 in the U.S. and #113 worldwide for influence in Law.
Howard University ranks #38 in the U.S. and #101 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesHoward University ranks #50 in the U.S. and #139 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesHoward University ranks #52 in the U.S. and #138 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesHoward University ranks #53 in the U.S. and #67 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesHoward University ranks #54 in the U.S. and #150 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesHoward University ranks #55 in the U.S. and #175 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesHoward University ranks #68 in the U.S. and #256 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesHoward University ranks #75 in the U.S. and #190 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesHoward University ranks #77 in the U.S. and #162 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesHoward University ranks #84 in the U.S. and #319 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesHoward University ranks #93 in the U.S. and #284 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesHoward University ranks #93 in the U.S. and #421 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesHoward University ranks #111 in the U.S. and #453 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesHoward University ranks #115 in the U.S. and #251 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesHoward University ranks #117 in the U.S. and #476 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesHoward University ranks #118 in the U.S. and #377 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesHoward University ranks #172 in the U.S. and #638 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesWho Are Howard University's Most Influential Alumni?
Howard University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Social Work, Criminal Justice, and Education. Here are some of Howard University's most famous alumni:
- Thomas Sowell
- An American economist, social theorist, political philosopher and author.
- Toni Morrison
- An American novelist, essayist and academic .
- Stokely Carmichael
- An American activist .
- Amiri Baraka
- An African-American writer .
- Zora Neale Hurston
- An African American folklorist, novelist, short story writer, and Civic Rights advocate .
- Lucretia Mott
- An American suffragist.
- James Farmer
- An African Americans' rights activist .
- Ta-Nehisi Coates
- An American writer, journalist, and educator.
- Sonia Sanchez
- An American poet, playwright and activist.
- E. Franklin Frazier
- An American sociologist .
- Kamala Harris
- A Vice president of the United States since 2021.
- Marjorie Lee Browne
- An American mathematician, educator.
Who Are Howard University's Most Influential Faculty?
Howard University's most influential faculty include professors in the fields of Social Work, Criminal Justice, and Education. Here are some of Howard University's most famous faculty:
- Wayne A. I. Frederick
- A Trinidadian academic.
- Ana Lucia Araujo
- A Brazilian-born Canadian historian, author and professor of History at Howard University.
- Rick Kittles
- An American scientist.
- Karen D. King
- An African-American mathematics educator.
- Talitha Washington
- An American mathematician.
- Tashni-Ann Dubroy
- A Jamaican academic and university administrator.
- Ivory A. Toldson
- An American academic .
- Carla Cotwright Williams
- An African-American mathematician.
- Doris Evans McGinty
- A Professor of music.
- Ida E. Jones
- An African American curator and author.
- Omari Swinton
- An Economist .
