Howard University
Washington, District of Columbia · Private · 10,108 undergraduates · howard.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
42%
of 37,270 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1050 to 1270
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$65,300Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Howard University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
42% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$65,300
a year in 2027-28, from a $65,300 sticker price
What to do with your 1150
Send your score
Your SAT is at or above the median of freshmen who sent scores (1150).
Named scholarships you may qualify for (1)
You meet 3.30+ GPA. Also needs an application, essay or interview, a specific major or program. · Application required
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Send official score reports when you apply.
Source: Admission Policy | Office of Admission · Checked October 17, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Action · November 1, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Nov1Early Decision · November 1, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Feb1Regular Decision · February 1, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
42%
of applicants were admitted: 15,724 of 37,270 for fall 2025.
Early Action
Not binding. Apply by 11/15, hear by 12/30.
Early Decision
Binding. 84% of early applicants were admitted.
Wait list
1,310 students were offered a spot.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 47% of them sent SAT scores and 15% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1050 to 1270
Reading and Writing 540 to 660
Math 510 to 620
ACT composite 20 to 26
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 16007%
- 1200 to 139934%
- 1000 to 119945%
- 800 to 99913%
- 600 to 7991%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.68
- 4.07%
- 3.75 to 3.9943%
- 3.50 to 3.7430%
- 3.25 to 3.4913%
- 3.00 to 3.246%
- 2.50 to 2.991%
- Below 2.500%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$65,300
a year
- Tuition$39,520
- Fees$980
- Food and housing$19,740
- Books and supplies$1,270
- Transportation and other$3,790
Howard University published $62,786 for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $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
Financial aid
59%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$9,275
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
15%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $17,588 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: 2/1
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
- Aid deadline: 5/1
- The last day to send aid forms.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
Howard University Freshman Scholarships (HUFS)
Automatic · No separate application
Amounts not published. Award types: HU Presidential, Achievers, Founders, Capstone, Leadership, Opportunity, Access; a student receives only one. Merit-based types use SAT/ACT and HS GPA; some types are need-based (SAI).
To keep it: meet the credit hour and college GPA requirements in your award contract; it renews for up to 8 semesters in a row.
DetailsKarsh STEM Scholars Program
Competitive · Application required
Tuition scholarship of 75% or 100% depending on family income, plus room and board and a books and supplies stipend; requires commitment to a STEM PhD or MD/PhD and the Summer Bridge Program
- 3.30+ GPA, At least B grades in high school STEM courses; U.S. citizen or permanent resident; class of 2027; STEM major; interview weekend for finalists
Deadline: January 31, 2027. To keep it: meet the program's requirements, including summer research internships and advising within the program.
Details
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
29 of 31
Earn credit with a score of 3
6 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $3,950Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-D Art and Design | 4 | 0 | Exempt from ARTF 089 |
| Biology | 4 | 4 | BIOL 101 |
| Biology | 5 | 8 | BIOL 101 & 102 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 | MATH 156 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 8 | MATH 156 & 157 |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 4 | 4 | MATH 156 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 5 | CHEM 003 & 005 |
| Chemistry | 5 | 10 | CHEM 003, 004, 005 & 006 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | CHIN 050 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 3 | POLS 003 |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 3 | CSCI 100 |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 3 | CSCI 100 |
| Drawing | 4 | 0 | Exempt from ARTF 001 |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENGL 014 |
| English Literature and Composition | 5 | 6 | ENGL 014 & 015 |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 3 | BIOL 801 |
| European History | 4 | 3 | HIST 151 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | FREN 040 or 050 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | FREN 040 & 050 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | GERM 040 or 050 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | GERM 040 & 050 |
| Human Geography | 4 | 3 | HIST 101 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | JAPN 040 or 050 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | JAPN 040 & 050 |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 3 | ECON 001 |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 3 | ECON 002 |
| Physics 1 | 4 | 5 | PHYS 001 |
| Physics 2 | 4 | 5 | PHYS 002 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 4 | PHYS 014 & 024 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 4 | PHYS 013 & 023 |
| Psychology | 4 | 3 | PSYC 050 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | SPAN 040 or 050 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | SPAN 040 & 050 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 3 | Span 040 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 6 | Span 040 & 050 |
| Statistics | 4 | 4 | MATH 009 |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | 3 | POLS 010 |
| United States History | 4 | 3 | HIST 009 |
| United States History | 5 | 6 | HIST 009 & 010 |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 3 | HIST 001 |
| World History: Modern | 5 | 6 | HIST 001 & 002 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
74%
Come back for a second year
91%
Typical earnings
$69,682
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Howard University$73,304
- All colleges$68,132
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 26 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Howard University. The Howard University logo is a trademark of the college.