Howard vs. Pitt

Deciding between Howard University and University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,500 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Howard University
University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Howard Washington, DC
  • Pitt Pittsburgh, PA
  • Setting
  • Howard Large City
  • Pitt Large City
  • Enrollment
  • Howard 14,890
  • Pitt 35,724
  • Type
  • Howard Private 4 Year
  • Pitt Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Howard #310
  • Pitt #138
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Howard -
  • Pitt -
  • Status
  • Howard Non-profit
  • Pitt Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Howard
  • Pitt

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • Pitt $21,926
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • Pitt $41,430
  • Room & Board
  • Howard $17,322
  • Pitt $13,620
  • Average Net Price
  • Howard $33,368
  • Pitt $25,223
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Howard $21,262
  • Pitt $16,494
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Howard 99%
  • Pitt 53%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Howard 34,211
  • Pitt 60,898
  • Admitted
  • Howard 14,144
  • Pitt 35,372
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Howard 41.3%
  • Pitt 58.1%
  • Enrolled
  • Howard 19.4%
  • Pitt 13%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Howard 1210
  • Pitt 1370
  • Typical ACT score
  • Howard 25
  • Pitt 31
  • Average High School GPA
  • Howard 3.66
  • Pitt 3.79
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Howard B+
  • Pitt A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Howard Challenging
  • Pitt Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Howard Low
  • Pitt Low
  • ACT Range
  • Howard 22/28
  • Pitt 29/33
  • SAT Range
  • Howard 1090/1320
  • Pitt 1280/1460
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Howard Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
  • Pitt Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
  • Application Deadline
  • Howard Feb 15, 2027
  • Pitt

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Howard 13:1
  • Pitt 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Howard
    • Business (20%)
    • Communication (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Psychology (9%)
  • Pitt
    • Business (15%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • English and Literature (9%)
    • Engineering (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Howard 63%
  • Pitt 79%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Howard $51,800
  • Pitt $58,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Howard 33%
  • Pitt 75%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Howard $27,000
  • Pitt $26,909
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Howard $279
  • Pitt $278

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Howard 8%
  • Pitt 11%
  • % Women
  • Howard 15%
  • Pitt 16%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Howard Extremely Low
  • Pitt Low
  • HBCU
  • Howard Yes
  • Pitt No
  • % White
  • Howard 2%
  • Pitt 74%
  • % Asian
  • Howard 1%
  • Pitt 9%
  • % Black
  • Howard 91%
  • Pitt 5%
  • % Hispanic
  • Howard 0%
  • Pitt 3%
  • % Native American
  • Howard 1%
  • Pitt 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Howard 0%
  • Pitt 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Howard 0%
  • Pitt 3%
  • % International
  • Howard 5%
  • Pitt 4%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Howard 0%
  • Pitt 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Howard 2%
  • Pitt 64%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Howard 94%
  • Pitt 33%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Howard University in Washington, DC with University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus in Pittsburgh, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is larger than Howard based on total student enrollment (35,724 students vs. 14,890 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Howard University is located in Washington, DC (Large City setting); University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is in Pittsburgh, PA (Large City setting).
  • Howard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Howard University 13:1; University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus 13:1.

Howard vs. Pitt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or Pitt? 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 Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus than Howard ($25,223 vs. $33,368).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus are 21.4% lower than at Howard University ($13,620 vs. $17,322).
  • Howard University is 63.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Pitt (about $13,884 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $21,926.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 15.7% higher at Pitt than at Howard University (about $5,620 more per year; $41,430.00 vs. $35,810.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard University than at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus (99% vs. 53%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 28.9% larger than aid received by University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus students ($21,262 vs. $16,494).

Howard vs. Pitt Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus (1370) is 160 points higher than at Howard (1210).
  • Incoming Pitt 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 Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus 1280/1460.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 22/28; University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus 29/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Howard - Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional); Pitt - Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional).
  • Typical fall application deadline: Howard Feb 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Pitt students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Howard (3.66).
  • Pitt 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. 13% at Pitt.

Howard vs. Pitt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Howard and Pitt? 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 Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus's six-year graduation rate (79%) is higher than Howard University's (63%).
  • Graduates from University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus earn a median of about $6,200 more per year than Howard graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,000 vs. $51,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus graduates have a $91 lower median loan debt than Howard graduates ($26,909 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Pitt graduates have an estimated $1 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Howard graduates ($278 vs. $279).
  • More Pitt graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (75% 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.