Howard vs. Rutgers

Deciding between Howard University and Rutgers University New Brunswick? 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
Rutgers University New Brunswick

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Howard Washington, DC
  • Rutgers New Brunswick, NJ
  • Setting
  • Howard Large City
  • Rutgers Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Howard 14,890
  • Rutgers 52,269
  • Type
  • Howard Private 4 Year
  • Rutgers Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Howard #310
  • Rutgers #114
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Howard -
  • Rutgers -
  • Status
  • Howard Non-profit
  • Rutgers Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Howard
  • Rutgers

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • Rutgers $17,929
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • Rutgers $37,441
  • Room & Board
  • Howard $17,322
  • Rutgers $15,714
  • Average Net Price
  • Howard $33,368
  • Rutgers $20,522
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Howard $21,262
  • Rutgers $16,742
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Howard 99%
  • Rutgers 50%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Howard 34,211
  • Rutgers 68,614
  • Admitted
  • Howard 14,144
  • Rutgers 39,899
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Howard 41.3%
  • Rutgers 58.1%
  • Enrolled
  • Howard 19.4%
  • Rutgers 20.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Howard 1210
  • Rutgers 1410
  • Typical ACT score
  • Howard 25
  • Rutgers 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • Howard 3.66
  • Rutgers 3.3
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Howard A-
  • Rutgers B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Howard Challenging
  • Rutgers Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Howard Low
  • Rutgers Low
  • ACT Range
  • Howard 22/28
  • Rutgers 28/33
  • SAT Range
  • Howard 1090/1320
  • Rutgers 1310/1500
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Howard Test optional
  • Rutgers Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Howard Feb 15, 2027
  • Rutgers

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Howard 13:1
  • Rutgers 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Howard
    • Business (20%)
    • Communication (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Psychology (9%)
  • Rutgers
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Communication (10%)
    • Psychology (10%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Engineering (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Howard 63%
  • Rutgers 77%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Howard $51,800
  • Rutgers $66,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Howard 33%
  • Rutgers 68%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Howard $27,000
  • Rutgers $22,215
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Howard $279
  • Rutgers $229

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Howard 30%
  • Rutgers 46%
  • % Women
  • Howard 70%
  • Rutgers 54%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Howard Very Low
  • Rutgers Very High
  • HBCU
  • Howard Yes
  • Rutgers No
  • % White
  • Howard 2%
  • Rutgers 42%
  • % Asian
  • Howard 1%
  • Rutgers 26%
  • % Black
  • Howard 91%
  • Rutgers 7%
  • % Hispanic
  • Howard 0%
  • Rutgers 13%
  • % Native American
  • Howard 1%
  • Rutgers 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Howard 0%
  • Rutgers 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Howard 0%
  • Rutgers 3%
  • % International
  • Howard 5%
  • Rutgers 7%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Howard 0%
  • Rutgers 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Howard 2%
  • Rutgers 75%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Howard 94%
  • Rutgers 13%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Howard University in Washington, DC with Rutgers University New Brunswick in New Brunswick, NJ on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than Howard based on total student enrollment (52,269 students vs. 14,890 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Howard University is located in Washington, DC (Large City setting); Rutgers University New Brunswick is in New Brunswick, NJ (Small City setting).
  • Howard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Rutgers University New Brunswick is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Howard University 13:1; Rutgers University New Brunswick 16:1.

Howard vs. Rutgers Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or Rutgers? 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 Rutgers University New Brunswick than Howard ($20,522 vs. $33,368).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 9.3% lower than at Howard University ($15,714 vs. $17,322).
  • Howard University is 99.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Rutgers (about $17,881 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $17,929.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 4.6% higher at Rutgers than at Howard University (about $1,631 more per year; $37,441.00 vs. $35,810.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard University than at Rutgers University New Brunswick (99% vs. 50%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 27% larger than aid received by Rutgers University New Brunswick students ($21,262 vs. $16,742).

Howard vs. Rutgers Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Howard or Rutgers? 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 Rutgers and Howard.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Rutgers University New Brunswick (1410) is 200 points higher than at Howard (1210).
  • Incoming Rutgers students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (30 vs. 25 at Howard).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 1090/1320; Rutgers University New Brunswick 1310/1500.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 22/28; Rutgers University New Brunswick 28/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Howard - Test optional; Rutgers - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Howard Feb 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Howard students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Rutgers (3.3).
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (58.1%) than Howard (41.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.4% at Howard vs. 20.5% at Rutgers.

Howard vs. Rutgers Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Howard and Rutgers? 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).

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick's six-year graduation rate (77%) is higher than Howard University's (63%).
  • Graduates from Rutgers University New Brunswick earn a median of about $14,400 more per year than Howard graduates about ten years after starting college ($66,200 vs. $51,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Rutgers University New Brunswick graduates have a $4,785 lower median loan debt than Howard graduates ($22,215 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Rutgers graduates have an estimated $50 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Howard graduates ($229 vs. $279).
  • More Rutgers graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (68% 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.