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Maryland George Washington UMBC Morehouse Penn State NCAT Hampton University Mason TU VCU Georgia State UNC Chapel Hill| Spelman College | Howard University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Spelman | Howard | ||
| Location | Atlanta, GA | Washington, DC | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 3,633 | 13,416 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #324 | #249 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | spelman.edu | howard.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Spelman | Howard | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $26,915 | $32,878 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,915 | $32,878 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,293 | $16,474 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $37,403 | $30,028 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,994 | $21,422 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 96% | 100% |
Admission |
Spelman | Howard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 10,610 | 30,342 | ||
| Admitted | 3,617 | 10,587 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 34.1% | 34.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 20.1% | 21.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.75 | 3.66 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | High | ||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 22/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1060/1270 | 1100/1298 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Feb 1, 2026 | Feb 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Spelman | Howard | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Spelman | Howard | ||
| Graduation Rate | 77% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,300 | $51,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 47% | 33% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $279 |
Diversity |
Spelman | Howard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 7% | 8% | ||
| % Women | 73% | 16% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Extremely Low | Extremely Low | ||
| HBCU | Yes | Yes | ||
| % White | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Black | 96% | 91% | ||
| % Hispanic | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 0% | ||
| % International | 1% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 0% |
Students |
Spelman | Howard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 21% | 1% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 78% | 91% | ||
Campus |
Spelman | Howard | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Howard University is larger than than Spelman based on total student enrollment (13,416 students vs. 3,633 students)
Spelman vs. Howard Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Spelman or Howard?
- Howard University is 22.2% more expensive to attend than Spelman for in-state tuition ($32,878.00 vs. $26,915.00)
- Out of state tuition is 22.2% higher at Howard than Spelman College ($32,878.00 vs. $26,915.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Howard University than Spelman ($30,028 vs. $37,403)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Spelman College are 1.1% lower than costs at Howard University ($16,293 vs. $16,474)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than Spelman College (100% vs. 96%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 78.6% larger than aid received Spelman College ($21,422 vs. $11,994)
Spelman vs. Howard Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Spelman or Howard? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Howard or Spelman .
- The average SAT score at Howard University (1105) is 90 points higher than at Spelman (1015)
- Incoming Howard students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Spelman (22)
- Accepted 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 (34.9%) than Spelman (34.1%)
Spelman vs. Howard Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Spelman or Howard? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Howard and Spelman.
- The graduation rate at Spelman is higher than Howard University (77% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from Howard University earn on average $500 more per year than Spelman graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $51,300)
- Howard University and Spelman graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
- Howard University and Spelman graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($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/