Howard University

Howard's academic muscle flexes across 120+ undergraduate programs, with particular dominance in fields shaping Black professional leadership:

• #1 HBCU for business, computer science, economics, engineering, and psychology (U.S. News)
• Most popular majors: Business (22%), Social Sciences (16%), and Communications (12%)
• Signature programs: Afro-American Studies (one of the first departments of its kind nationally), the dual-degree engineering program with Columbia, and the Cathy Hughes School of Communications

Since 1867, Howard has awarded over 130,000 degrees, with curricula that consistently center African diasporic perspectives—whether in literature seminars or medical school pipelines.

Homecoming isn't an event at Howard—it's a pilgrimage. The Yard transforms into a reunion of Black joy, with step shows, celebrity sightings (from Chadwick Boseman to Kamala Harris), and lectures that feel like family cookout debates. Key vibes:

• Greek life dominates: Alpha Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority was founded here in 1908, and Divine Nine organizations maintain fierce rivalries
• Activism runs deep: Students regularly organize around issues like campus safety and Palestinian solidarity, continuing the legacy?LegacyAn applicant whose parent (or sometimes other close relative) attended the college. Some schools give a small edge to legacy applicants. of alumni like Stokely Carmichael
• 'The Mecca' mentality: 86% of students are Black, creating what one Redditor called 'a Black utopia where you're never the only one in the room'

Clubs range from the Hilltop (student newspaper) to competitive hackathons, but the real curriculum happens in late-night conversations at the Punchout dining hall.

Howard's graduation rate (69-70%) outpaces the HBCU average by 15 points, and its alumni network operates like a professional lifeline:

• Early career earnings: $36,427 (1 year out) rising to $63k by decade's end
• Notable alumni: Includes Thurgood Marshall, Toni Morrison, and 40% of Black dentists nationwide
• Medical school pipeline: Produces more Black applicants to U.S. medical schools than any other university

The debt picture is mixed—median borrowing is $25k at graduation, but the school meets 71% of financial need with average aid packages of $25,683.

Sticker shock is real ($59,288 total cost), but Howard delivers substantial aid:

• Net price: $30,028 after average aid
• Financial aid reach: 71.52% of students receive packages averaging $25,683
• Key discounts: Legacy?LegacyAn applicant whose parent (or sometimes other close relative) attended the college. Some schools give a small edge to legacy applicants. scholarships (5-15% off tuition) and DC resident grants

The financial aid office warns that CSS Profile delays can bottleneck awards—early FAFSA submission is critical for maximizing support.

Howard isn't just a university—it's the intellectual headquarters of Black America. Where else can you:

• Attend lectures by sitting Cabinet members between classes on Yoruba cosmology
• Spot future Congressmembers debating at the campus Starbucks
• Join a research team that literally wrote the textbook on African diasporic studies (see: Alain Locke's legacy?LegacyAn applicant whose parent (or sometimes other close relative) attended the college. Some schools give a small edge to legacy applicants.)

The tradeoff? Facilities sometimes lag behind peer institutions (students gripe about dorm AC), but as one Redditor put it: 'You're paying for the network, not the pillows.' For students seeking an education where Black history isn't elective but essential, Howard remains peerless.