Howard University

Howard University incoming freshman academic profile

Average high school GPA

3.682025-26 · CollegeData source

SAT composite middle score

1,1502025-26 CDS · Source

ACT composite middle score

232025-26 CDS · Source

Average GPA of enrolled freshmen (scale may be weighted or unweighted). SAT/ACT are median scores of students who submitted them — not scholarship cutoffs.

Freshman financial need & merit gifts

2024-25 financial-aid profile · CollegeData source

Average freshman need met

59%

Average undergraduate need met

50%

These groups use different denominators and should not be added together. Need met is an average share of assessed financial need—not a share of tuition or an aid guarantee. The source’s detailed aid table reports 2024-25, although its general page note says 2025-26.

Howard University net price by family income

Historical average cost after all grants and scholarships — not need-based aid eligibility. 2024–25 academic year.

Families earning $150,000+ should not assume they'll get need-based grants; the "Over $110K" group mixes very different incomes.

At what family income does financial aid stop at Howard University?

There's no universal cutoff. Need-based aid depends on income, assets, family size and college rules; merit scholarships are based on grades and scores, so high income doesn't rule them out. Use Howard University's net price calculator for a personal estimate, and the federal aid estimator for federal aid.

Graduation, earnings & student debt

6-year graduation

73.5%Fall 2019 / 2019–20 entering cohort

First-year retention

90.9%Fall 2023 entering cohort; return in fall 2024

Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry

$69,6822011–12 and 2012–13 entering cohorts; earnings in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars

Median federal debt

$23,750Federal fiscal years 2024 and 2025, pooled

Historical group figures, not individual predictions. Debt excludes private and Parent PLUS loans. Source: College Scorecard (ID 131520).

Colleges with acceptance rates similar to Howard University

Howard University accepts about 42% of applicants. These colleges have the closest reported acceptance rates.

• Dickinson College · Carlisle, PA42% acceptance
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL42% acceptance
• Brevard College · Brevard, NC42% acceptance
• Dillard University · New Orleans, LA42% acceptance
• Gnomon · North Hollywood, CA42% acceptance
• Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla · Aguadilla, PR42% acceptance
• Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German · San German, PR42% acceptance
• North Carolina State University at Raleigh · Raleigh, NC42% acceptance
• University of California-Davis · Davis, CA42% acceptance
• University of Washington-Bothell Campus · Bothell, WA42% acceptance

Colleges with merit aid similar to Howard University

Howard University reports average merit aid of $17,588 per year. These colleges report the closest average non-need-based awards.

• Missouri University of Science and Technology · Rolla, MO$17,510 avg merit aid / yr
• Occidental College · Los Angeles, CA$17,481 avg merit aid / yr
• Western New England University · Springfield, MA$17,406 avg merit aid / yr
• Baylor University · Waco, TX$17,382 avg merit aid / yr
• University of Rochester · Rochester, NY$17,238 avg merit aid / yr
• University of Vermont · Burlington, VT$18,070 avg merit aid / yr
• Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology · Okmulgee, OK$18,194 avg merit aid / yr
• The University of Alabama · Tuscaloosa, AL$16,895 avg merit aid / yr
• Benedictine University · Lisle, IL$18,346 avg merit aid / yr
• Santa Clara University · Santa Clara, CA$16,788.41 avg merit aid / yr