loading 6,000+ schools…
Washington, DC · Washington, DC
| American University | Howard University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $41,943/yr | $50,539/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $23,233/yr | $46,051/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $22,750 | $24,500 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $20,444/yr | $47,477/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $26,035/yr | $50,245/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $30,063/yr | $52,981/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $53,673/yr | $54,270/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $241/mo | $260/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $17,982/yr | $17,322/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $19,336/yr | $24,334/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,000/yr | $1,360/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $1,618/yr | $3,540/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $76,058/yr | $54,630/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $58,771/yr | $35,810/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $58,771/yr | $35,810/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 14% | 40% |
| Students taking federal loans | 38% | 59% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 62% | 41% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1280–1460 | 1090–1320 |
| SAT average | 1381 | 1213 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 29–32 | 22–28 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 28–35 · Math 25–29 | English 21–29 · Math 18–26 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 17,786 | 30,342 |
| Students accepted | 8,427 | 10,587 |
| Students who enrolled | 1,856 | 2,268 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 22% | 21% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 26% | 27% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 16% | 10% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Required | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 75% | 70% |
| Freshmen who come back | 88% | 91% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $77,370/yr | $63,066/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $51,260–$112,884 | $34,222–$92,903 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 79% | 68% |
| White students graduating | 77% | 65% |
| Black students graduating | 79% | 70% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 71% | 62% |
| Asian students graduating | 80% | 88% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $61,328/yr | $47,379/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 84% | 76% |
| Graduate on time | 68% | 60% |
| Pell students who graduate | 75% | 66% |
| First-gen students who finish | 74% | 52% |
| Low-income students who finish | 66% | 50% |
| Students who transfer out | No data reported | 19% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $70,443/yr | $54,819/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Social Sciences 34% · Business, Management & Marketing 11% · Communication & Journalism 8% | Business, Management & Marketing 16% · Health Professions 13% · Communication & Journalism 12% |
| Most popular program | Social Sciences — 34% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 16% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 11% of degrees | Health Professions — 13% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Communication & Journalism — 8% of degrees | Communication & Journalism — 12% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies — 8% of degrees | Social Sciences — 11% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Visual & Performing Arts — 6% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 10% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Business Administration, Management and Operations — $99,051/yr | Business Administration, Management and Operations — $105,240/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 7.7% | 21% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 7,266 | 10,108 |
| Students per professor | 10 : 1 | 13 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 4,845 | 3,371 |
| Average professor pay | $13,722/mo | $11,580/mo |
| Full-time professors | 59% | 64% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Middle States Commission on Higher Education | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
| Median family income | $84,200 | $40,386 |
| Setting | City (large) | City (large) |
| Location | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Region | Mid East | Mid East |
| Founded | 1893 | 1867 |
| Public or private | Private (nonprofit) | Private (nonprofit) |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity | Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 5.3% | 4.5% |
| Men | 38% | 27% |
| Women | 62% | 73% |
| White students | 56% | 0.2% |
| Black students | 8.2% | 77% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 14% | 6.9% |
| Asian students | 7.4% | 1.5% |
| Two or more races | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Other / not reported | 3.3% | 4.9% |
| Special type | Religiously affiliated | HBCU |
| First-generation students | 16% | 24% |
| Part-time students | 2.8% | 2.3% |
| Students age 25+ | 1.4% | 1.7% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $19,197/yr | $14,944/yr |
| Endowment | $1.0B | $1.0B |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 4,246 | 6,051 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $10,910/yr | $10,570/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $6,130/yr | $5,904/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | 19 meals/week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Religious affiliation | United Methodist | No data reported |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Air Force | Yes — Army, Air Force |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | No |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | No |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | No | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | No | No |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | Yes | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I without football | NCAA Division I-FCS |
| Football team | No | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 12 | 17 |
| Student athletes | 298 | 465 |
| Athletic scholarships | $7.1M | $9.8M |
| Athletics budget | $20.3M | $20.7M |
| Athletics revenue | $20.3M | $26.3M |
| Recruiting spend | $212,390 | $68,618 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.