Howard vs. West Point

Deciding between Howard University and United States Military Academy? 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
United States Military Academy

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Howard Washington, DC
  • West Point West Point, New York
  • Setting
  • Howard Large City
  • West Point Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Howard 14,890
  • West Point 4,473
  • Type
  • Howard Private 4 Year
  • West Point Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Howard #310
  • West Point
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Howard -
  • West Point -
  • Status
  • Howard Non-profit
  • West Point Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Howard
  • West Point

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • West Point $0
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • West Point $0
  • Room & Board
  • Howard $17,322
  • West Point $0
  • Average Net Price
  • Howard $33,368
  • West Point -
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Howard $21,262
  • West Point $0
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Howard 99%
  • West Point 0%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Howard 34,211
  • West Point 12,320
  • Admitted
  • Howard 14,144
  • West Point 1,534
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Howard 41.3%
  • West Point 12.5%
  • Enrolled
  • Howard 19.4%
  • West Point 77.9%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Howard 1210
  • West Point 1320
  • Typical ACT score
  • Howard 25
  • West Point 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • Howard 3.66
  • West Point 4.0
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Howard A-
  • West Point A/A+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Howard Challenging
  • West Point Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Howard Low
  • West Point Very High
  • ACT Range
  • Howard 22/28
  • West Point 27/33
  • SAT Range
  • Howard 1090/1320
  • West Point 1200/1430
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Howard Test optional
  • West Point Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Howard Feb 15, 2027
  • West Point Jan 31, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Howard 13:1
  • West Point 6:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Howard
    • Business (20%)
    • Communication (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Psychology (9%)
  • West Point
    • Engineering (21%)
    • Social Sciences (18%)
    • Foreign Languages (9%)
    • Engineering Technology (6%)
    • Business (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Howard 63%
  • West Point 80%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Howard $51,800
  • West Point N/A
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Howard 33%
  • West Point -
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Howard $27,000
  • West Point N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Howard $279
  • West Point N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Howard 30%
  • West Point 78%
  • % Women
  • Howard 70%
  • West Point 22%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Howard Very Low
  • West Point -
  • HBCU
  • Howard Yes
  • West Point No
  • % White
  • Howard 2%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Asian
  • Howard 1%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Black
  • Howard 91%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Hispanic
  • Howard 0%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Native American
  • Howard 1%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Howard 0%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Howard 0%
  • West Point 0%
  • % International
  • Howard 5%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Howard 0%
  • West Point 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Howard 2%
  • West Point 7%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Howard 94%
  • West Point 92%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Howard University in Washington, DC with United States Military Academy in West Point, New York on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Howard University is larger than West Point based on total student enrollment (14,890 students vs. 4,473 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Howard University is located in Washington, DC (Large City setting); United States Military Academy is in West Point, New York (Large Suburban setting).
  • Howard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. United States Military Academy is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Howard University 13:1; United States Military Academy 6:1.

Howard vs. West Point Cost Comparison

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

  • In-state tuition differs between Howard University and West Point ($35,810.00 vs. $0.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition differs between Howard and United States Military Academy ($35,810.00 vs. $0.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard University than at United States Military Academy (99% vs. 0%).

Howard vs. West Point Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at United States Military Academy (1320) is 110 points higher than at Howard (1210).
  • Incoming West Point 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; United States Military Academy 1200/1430.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 22/28; United States Military Academy 27/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Howard - Test optional; West Point - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Howard Feb 15, 2027; West Point Jan 31, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman West Point students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Howard (3.66).
  • Howard has a higher acceptance rate (41.3%) than West Point (12.5%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.4% at Howard vs. 77.9% at West Point.

Howard vs. West Point Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Howard and West Point? 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).

  • United States Military Academy's six-year graduation rate (80%) is higher than Howard University's (63%).

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.