AU vs. Howard

Should I go to American University or Howard University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AU or Howard is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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American University vs. Howard University comparison
American University Howard University College 3 College 4
American University Howard University
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Overview

AU Howard
Location Washington, DC Washington, DC
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 13,885 12,886
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #93 #318
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu howard.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AU Howard
Tuition (In State) $53,070 $30,584
Tuition (Out of State) $53,070 $30,584
Room & Board $15,706 $15,880
Avg Net Price $41,369 $28,279
Avg Grant Aid $27,138 $20,063
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 99%

Admission

AU Howard
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,510 19,188
Admitted 7,926 10,253
Acceptance Rate 40.6% 53.4%
Enrolled % 22.2% 24.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.66
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/32 20/26
SAT Range 1290/1430 1050/1290
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 Jan 15, 2025 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

AU Howard
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)

Outcomes

AU Howard
Graduation Rate 77% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $51,800
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $250 $279

Diversity

AU Howard
% Men 37% 29%
% Women 63% 71%
Racial Diversity High Extremely Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 58% 2%
% Black 7% 91%
% Hispanic 12% 0%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 0%
% International 7% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

AU Howard
% In-State 2% 1%
% Out-of-State 94% 91%

Campus

AU Howard
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • American University is larger than than Howard based on total student enrollment (13,885 students vs. 12,886 students)

AU vs. Howard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Howard?

  • American University is 73.5% more expensive to attend than Howard for in-state tuition ($53,070.00 vs. $30,584.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 73.5% higher at AU than Howard University ($53,070.00 vs. $30,584.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Howard University than AU ($28,279 vs. $41,369)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American University are 1.1% lower than costs at Howard University ($15,706 vs. $15,880)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than American University (99% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by American University students is 35.3% larger than aid received Howard University ($27,138 vs. $20,063)

AU vs. Howard Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, AU or Howard? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Howard or AU .

  • The average SAT score at American University (1252) is 147 points higher than at Howard (1105)
  • Incoming AU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Howard (24)
  • Accepted freshman AU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Howard (3.66)
  • Howard has a higher acceptance rate (53.4%) than AU (40.6%)

AU vs. Howard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU 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 AU.

  • The graduation rate at AU is higher than Howard University (77% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from American University earn on average $13,000 more per year than Howard graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $51,800)
  • American University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Howard graduates. ($24,250 vs. $27,000)
  • AU graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Howard graduates. ($250 vs. $279)
  • More AU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 33%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/