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Maryland George Washington UMBC Spelman Penn State NCAT Hampton University Mason TU VCU UNC Chapel Hill Rutgers| Howard University | Arcadia University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Howard | Arcadia | ||
| Location | Washington, DC | Glenside, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 13,416 | 3,142 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #249 | #471 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Presbyterian Church (USA) | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | howard.edu | arcadia.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Howard | Arcadia | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $32,878 | $47,590 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $32,878 | $47,590 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,474 | $16,250 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $30,028 | $26,994 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,422 | $34,234 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 100% |
Admission |
Howard | Arcadia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 30,342 | 6,688 | ||
| Admitted | 10,587 | 5,296 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 34.9% | 79.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.4% | 7.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.66 | 3.42 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 22/28 | 26/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1100/1298 | 1083/1310 | ||
| 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 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Howard | Arcadia | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Howard | Arcadia | ||
| Graduation Rate | 63% | 62% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,800 | $46,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 33% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $279 |
Diversity |
Howard | Arcadia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 8% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 16% | 28% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Extremely Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | Yes | No | ||
| % White | 2% | 68% | ||
| % Black | 91% | 9% | ||
| % Hispanic | 0% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 0% | 4% | ||
| % International | 5% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 2% |
Students |
Howard | Arcadia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 1% | 66% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 91% | 32% | ||
Campus |
Howard | Arcadia | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| 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 Arcadia based on total student enrollment (13,416 students vs. 3,142 students)
Howard vs. Arcadia Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Howard or Arcadia?
- Arcadia University is 44.7% more expensive to attend than Howard for in-state tuition ($47,590.00 vs. $32,878.00)
- Out of state tuition is 44.7% higher at Arcadia than Howard University ($47,590.00 vs. $32,878.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Arcadia University than Howard ($26,994 vs. $30,028)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Arcadia University are 1.4% lower than costs at Howard University ($16,250 vs. $16,474)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Howard University as Arcadia University (100% vs. 100%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Arcadia University students is 59.8% larger than aid received Howard University ($34,234 vs. $21,422)
Howard vs. Arcadia Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Howard or Arcadia? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Arcadia or Howard .
- The average SAT score at Howard University (1105) is 1 points higher than at Arcadia (1104)
- Incoming Arcadia students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Howard (24)
- Accepted freshman Howard students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Arcadia (3.42)
- Arcadia has a higher acceptance rate (79.2%) than Howard (34.9%)
Howard vs. Arcadia Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Howard or Arcadia? 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 Arcadia and Howard.
- The graduation rate at Howard is higher than Arcadia University (63% vs. 62%)
- Graduates from Howard University earn on average $5,400 more per year than Arcadia graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $46,400)
- Arcadia University and Howard graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
- Arcadia University and Howard graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
- More Arcadia graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 33%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/