Howard vs. F&M

Deciding between Howard University and Franklin and Marshall College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Howard University
Franklin and Marshall College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Howard Washington, DC
  • F&M Lancaster, PA
  • Setting
  • Howard Large City
  • F&M Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Howard 14,890
  • F&M 1,808
  • Type
  • Howard Private 4 Year
  • F&M Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Howard #310
  • F&M #60
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Howard -
  • F&M -
  • Status
  • Howard Non-profit
  • F&M Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Howard
  • F&M

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • F&M $70,794
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • F&M $70,794
  • Room & Board
  • Howard $17,322
  • F&M $16,188
  • Average Net Price
  • Howard $33,368
  • F&M $43,987
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Howard $21,262
  • F&M $41,901
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Howard 99%
  • F&M 80%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Howard 34,211
  • F&M 9,881
  • Admitted
  • Howard 14,144
  • F&M 2,785
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Howard 41.3%
  • F&M 28.2%
  • Enrolled
  • Howard 19.4%
  • F&M 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Howard 1210
  • F&M 1390
  • Typical ACT score
  • Howard 25
  • F&M 31
  • Average High School GPA
  • Howard 3.66
  • F&M -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Howard A-
  • F&M -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Howard Challenging
  • F&M Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Howard Low
  • F&M High
  • ACT Range
  • Howard 22/28
  • F&M 30/33
  • SAT Range
  • Howard 1090/1320
  • F&M 1310/1463
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Howard Test optional
  • F&M Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Howard Feb 15, 2027
  • F&M Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Howard 13:1
  • F&M 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Howard
    • Business (20%)
    • Communication (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Psychology (9%)
  • F&M
    • Social Sciences (29%)
    • Business (12%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • General Studies (7%)
    • Psychology (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Howard 63%
  • F&M 85%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Howard $51,800
  • F&M $61,900
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Howard 33%
  • F&M 88%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Howard $27,000
  • F&M $22,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Howard $279
  • F&M $227

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Howard 30%
  • F&M 49%
  • % Women
  • Howard 70%
  • F&M 51%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Howard Very Low
  • F&M High
  • HBCU
  • Howard Yes
  • F&M No
  • % White
  • Howard 2%
  • F&M 59%
  • % Asian
  • Howard 1%
  • F&M 5%
  • % Black
  • Howard 91%
  • F&M 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Howard 0%
  • F&M 8%
  • % Native American
  • Howard 1%
  • F&M 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Howard 0%
  • F&M 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Howard 0%
  • F&M 2%
  • % International
  • Howard 5%
  • F&M 14%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Howard 0%
  • F&M 6%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Howard 2%
  • F&M 29%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Howard 94%
  • F&M 55%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Howard Yes
  • F&M Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Howard Yes
  • F&M No
  • Meal Plan
  • Howard Yes
  • F&M Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Howard No
  • F&M No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Howard No
  • F&M No

Comparable Facts

Compare Howard University in Washington, DC with Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Howard University is larger than F&M based on total student enrollment (14,890 students vs. 1,808 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Howard University is located in Washington, DC (Large City setting); Franklin and Marshall College is in Lancaster, PA (Small City setting).
  • Howard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Franklin and Marshall College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Howard University 13:1; Franklin and Marshall College 9:1.

Howard vs. F&M Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or F&M? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Howard University than F&M ($33,368 vs. $43,987).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Franklin and Marshall College are 6.5% lower than at Howard University ($16,188 vs. $17,322).
  • Franklin and Marshall College is 97.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Howard (about $34,984 more per year; $70,794.00 vs. $35,810.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 97.7% higher at F&M than at Howard University (about $34,984 more per year; $70,794.00 vs. $35,810.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard University than at Franklin and Marshall College (99% vs. 80%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Franklin and Marshall College students is 97.1% larger than aid received by Howard University students ($41,901 vs. $21,262).

Howard vs. F&M Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Howard or F&M? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between F&M and Howard.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Franklin and Marshall College (1390) is 180 points higher than at Howard (1210).
  • Incoming F&M students have a 6 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (31 vs. 25 at Howard).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 1090/1320; Franklin and Marshall College 1310/1463.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 22/28; Franklin and Marshall College 30/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Howard - Test optional; F&M - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Howard Feb 15, 2027; F&M Jan 15, 2027.
  • Howard has a higher acceptance rate (41.3%) than F&M (28.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.4% at Howard vs. 17.1% at F&M.

Howard vs. F&M Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Howard and F&M? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Franklin and Marshall College's six-year graduation rate (85%) is higher than Howard University's (63%).
  • Graduates from Franklin and Marshall College earn a median of about $10,100 more per year than Howard graduates about ten years after starting college ($61,900 vs. $51,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Franklin and Marshall College graduates have a $5,000 lower median loan debt than Howard graduates ($22,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, F&M graduates have an estimated $52 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Howard graduates ($227 vs. $279).
  • More F&M graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 33%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.