Harding University vs. Howard

Should I go to Harding University or Howard University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Harding University 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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Harding University vs. Howard University comparison
Harding University Howard University College 3 College 4
Harding University Howard University
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Overview

Harding University Howard
Location Searcy, AR Washington, DC
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 4,608 13,416
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1021 #249
Religious Affiliation Churches of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harding.edu howard.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Harding University Howard
Tuition (In State) $24,240 $32,878
Tuition (Out of State) $24,240 $32,878
Room & Board $9,940 $16,474
Avg Net Price $21,069 $30,028
Avg Grant Aid $15,325 $21,422
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

Harding University Howard
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,202 30,342
Admitted 2,202 10,587
Acceptance Rate 100% 34.9%
Enrolled % 39.2% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.71 3.66
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 21/28 22/28
SAT Range 1050/1280 1100/1298
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2026

Academics

Harding University Howard
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)

Outcomes

Harding University Howard
Graduation Rate 63% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,800 $51,800
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Harding University Howard
% Men 9% 8%
% Women 15% 16%
Racial Diversity Very Low Extremely Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 83% 2%
% Black 4% 91%
% Hispanic 4% 0%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 6% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Harding University Howard
% In-State 28% 1%
% Out-of-State 68% 91%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Howard University is larger than than Harding University based on total student enrollment (13,416 students vs. 4,608 students)

Harding University vs. Howard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harding University or Howard?

  • Howard University is 35.6% more expensive to attend than Harding University for in-state tuition ($32,878.00 vs. $24,240.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.6% higher at Howard than Harding University ($32,878.00 vs. $24,240.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harding University than Howard ($21,069 vs. $30,028)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Harding University are 65.7% lower than costs at Howard University ($9,940 vs. $16,474)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than Harding University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 39.8% larger than aid received Harding University ($21,422 vs. $15,325)

Harding University vs. Howard Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harding University (1135) is 30 points higher than at Howard (1105)
  • Incoming Harding University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Howard (24)
  • Accepted freshman Harding University students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at Howard (3.66)
  • Harding University has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than Howard (34.9%)

Harding University vs. Howard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Harding University 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 Harding University.

  • The graduation rate at Harding University is the same as at Howard University (63% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Howard University earn on average $7,000 more per year than Harding University graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $44,800)
  • Howard University and Harding University graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Howard University and Harding University graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Harding University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 33%)

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