Howard vs. UMass

Deciding between Howard University and University of Massachusetts Amherst? 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
University of Massachusetts Amherst

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Howard Washington, DC
  • UMass Amherst, MA
  • Setting
  • Howard Large City
  • UMass Town Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • Howard 14,890
  • UMass 31,726
  • Type
  • Howard Private 4 Year
  • UMass Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Howard #310
  • UMass #169
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Howard -
  • UMass -
  • Status
  • Howard Non-profit
  • UMass Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Howard
  • UMass

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • UMass $17,772
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • UMass $40,449
  • Room & Board
  • Howard $17,322
  • UMass $16,710
  • Average Net Price
  • Howard $33,368
  • UMass $22,948
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Howard $21,262
  • UMass $13,110
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Howard 99%
  • UMass 81%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Howard 34,211
  • UMass 50,261
  • Admitted
  • Howard 14,144
  • UMass 30,020
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Howard 41.3%
  • UMass 59.7%
  • Enrolled
  • Howard 19.4%
  • UMass 17.9%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Howard 1210
  • UMass 1410
  • Typical ACT score
  • Howard 25
  • UMass 31
  • Average High School GPA
  • Howard 3.66
  • UMass 3.99
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Howard A-
  • UMass A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Howard Challenging
  • UMass Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Howard Low
  • UMass Low
  • ACT Range
  • Howard 22/28
  • UMass 30/33
  • SAT Range
  • Howard 1090/1320
  • UMass 1310/1500
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Howard Test optional
  • UMass Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Howard Feb 15, 2027
  • UMass Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Howard 13:1
  • UMass 17:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Howard
    • Business (20%)
    • Communication (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Psychology (9%)
  • UMass
    • Business (15%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • Communication (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Howard 63%
  • UMass 67%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Howard $51,800
  • UMass $55,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Howard 33%
  • UMass 76%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Howard $27,000
  • UMass $24,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Howard $279
  • UMass $248

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Howard 30%
  • UMass 48%
  • % Women
  • Howard 70%
  • UMass 52%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Howard Very Low
  • UMass Medium
  • HBCU
  • Howard Yes
  • UMass No
  • % White
  • Howard 2%
  • UMass 67%
  • % Asian
  • Howard 1%
  • UMass 9%
  • % Black
  • Howard 91%
  • UMass 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Howard 0%
  • UMass 5%
  • % Native American
  • Howard 1%
  • UMass 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Howard 0%
  • UMass 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Howard 0%
  • UMass 3%
  • % International
  • Howard 5%
  • UMass 4%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Howard 0%
  • UMass 8%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Howard 2%
  • UMass 69%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Howard 94%
  • UMass 22%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Howard University in Washington, DC with University of Massachusetts Amherst in Amherst, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Massachusetts Amherst is larger than Howard based on total student enrollment (31,726 students vs. 14,890 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Howard University is located in Washington, DC (Large City setting); University of Massachusetts Amherst is in Amherst, MA (Town Fringe setting).
  • Howard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Howard University 13:1; University of Massachusetts Amherst 17:1.

Howard vs. UMass Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or UMass? 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 University of Massachusetts Amherst than Howard ($22,948 vs. $33,368).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Amherst are 3.5% lower than at Howard University ($16,710 vs. $17,322).
  • Howard University is 101.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than UMass (about $18,038 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $17,772.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 13% higher at UMass than at Howard University (about $4,639 more per year; $40,449.00 vs. $35,810.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard University than at University of Massachusetts Amherst (99% vs. 81%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 62.2% larger than aid received by University of Massachusetts Amherst students ($21,262 vs. $13,110).

Howard vs. UMass Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of Massachusetts Amherst (1410) is 200 points higher than at Howard (1210).
  • Incoming UMass 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; University of Massachusetts Amherst 1310/1500.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 22/28; University of Massachusetts Amherst 30/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Howard - Test optional; UMass - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Howard Feb 15, 2027; UMass Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman UMass students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at Howard (3.66).
  • UMass has a higher acceptance rate (59.7%) than Howard (41.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.4% at Howard vs. 17.9% at UMass.

Howard vs. UMass Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Howard and UMass? 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).

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst's six-year graduation rate (67%) is higher than Howard University's (63%).
  • Graduates from University of Massachusetts Amherst earn a median of about $3,400 more per year than Howard graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,200 vs. $51,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Massachusetts Amherst graduates have a $3,000 lower median loan debt than Howard graduates ($24,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, UMass graduates have an estimated $31 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Howard graduates ($248 vs. $279).
  • More UMass graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (76% 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.