Spelman vs. Howard

Deciding between Spelman College and Howard University? 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.

Spelman College
Howard University

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Spelman Atlanta, GA
  • Howard Washington, DC
  • Setting
  • Spelman Large City
  • Howard Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Spelman 3,417
  • Howard 14,890
  • Type
  • Spelman Private 4 Year
  • Howard Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Spelman #271
  • Howard #310
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Spelman -
  • Howard -
  • Status
  • Spelman Non-profit
  • Howard Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Spelman
  • Howard

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Spelman $31,556
  • Howard $35,810
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Spelman $31,556
  • Howard $35,810
  • Room & Board
  • Spelman $18,091
  • Howard $17,322
  • Average Net Price
  • Spelman $40,354
  • Howard $33,368
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Spelman $10,614
  • Howard $21,262
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Spelman 96%
  • Howard 99%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Spelman 12,023
  • Howard 34,211
  • Admitted
  • Spelman 2,990
  • Howard 14,144
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Spelman 24.9%
  • Howard 41.3%
  • Enrolled
  • Spelman 23.6%
  • Howard 19.4%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Spelman 1210
  • Howard 1210
  • Typical ACT score
  • Spelman 25
  • Howard 25
  • Average High School GPA
  • Spelman 3.75
  • Howard 3.66
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Spelman A-
  • Howard A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Spelman Challenging
  • Howard Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • Spelman High
  • Howard Low
  • ACT Range
  • Spelman 22/29
  • Howard 22/28
  • SAT Range
  • Spelman 1108/1320
  • Howard 1090/1320
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Spelman Test optional
  • Howard Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Spelman Feb 1, 2027
  • Howard Feb 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Spelman 11:1
  • Howard 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Spelman
    • Social Sciences (28%)
    • Psychology (20%)
    • Biology (14%)
    • English and Literature (12%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Howard
    • Business (20%)
    • Communication (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Psychology (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Spelman 77%
  • Howard 63%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Spelman $51,300
  • Howard $51,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Spelman 47%
  • Howard 33%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Spelman $27,000
  • Howard $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Spelman $279
  • Howard $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Spelman 5%
  • Howard 30%
  • % Women
  • Spelman 95%
  • Howard 70%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Spelman Extremely Low
  • Howard Very Low
  • HBCU
  • Spelman Yes
  • Howard Yes
  • % White
  • Spelman 0%
  • Howard 2%
  • % Asian
  • Spelman 0%
  • Howard 1%
  • % Black
  • Spelman 96%
  • Howard 91%
  • % Hispanic
  • Spelman 0%
  • Howard 0%
  • % Native American
  • Spelman 0%
  • Howard 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Spelman 0%
  • Howard 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Spelman 2%
  • Howard 0%
  • % International
  • Spelman 1%
  • Howard 5%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Spelman 0%
  • Howard 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Spelman 21%
  • Howard 2%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Spelman 78%
  • Howard 94%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Spelman College in Atlanta, GA with Howard University in Washington, DC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Howard University is larger than Spelman based on total student enrollment (14,890 students vs. 3,417 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Spelman College is located in Atlanta, GA (Large City setting); Howard University is in Washington, DC (Large City setting).
  • Spelman College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Howard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Spelman College 11:1; Howard University 13:1.

Spelman vs. Howard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Spelman or Howard? 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 Spelman ($33,368 vs. $40,354).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Howard University are 4.3% lower than at Spelman College ($17,322 vs. $18,091).
  • Howard University is 13.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Spelman (about $4,254 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $31,556.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 13.5% higher at Howard than at Spelman College (about $4,254 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $31,556.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard University than at Spelman College (99% vs. 96%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 100.3% larger than aid received by Spelman College students ($21,262 vs. $10,614).

Spelman vs. Howard Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Spelman or Howard? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Howard and Spelman.

  • The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Spelman College (1210) is the same as at Howard (1210).
  • Incoming Spelman students have the same typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate; 25) as students at Howard (25).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Spelman College 1108/1320; Howard University 1090/1320.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Spelman College 22/29; Howard University 22/28.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Spelman - Test optional; Howard - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Spelman Feb 1, 2027; Howard Feb 15, 2027.
  • Enrolled freshman Spelman students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Howard (3.66).
  • Howard has a higher acceptance rate (41.3%) than Spelman (24.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 23.6% at Spelman vs. 19.4% at Howard.

Spelman vs. Howard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Spelman and Howard? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • Spelman College's six-year graduation rate (77%) is higher than Howard University's (63%).
  • Graduates from Howard University earn a median of about $500 more per year than Spelman graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,800 vs. $51,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Howard University and Spelman graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers in the federal data, Howard University and Spelman graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
  • More Spelman graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (47% 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.