Howard vs. Elms College

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

Howard Elms College
Location Washington, DC Chicopee, MA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,416 1,332
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #249 #374
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website howard.edu elms.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Howard Elms College
Tuition (In State) $32,878 $40,095
Tuition (Out of State) $32,878 $40,095
Room & Board $16,474 $15,150
Avg Net Price $30,028 $22,311
Avg Grant Aid $21,422 $31,015
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Howard Elms College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,342 1,442
Admitted 10,587 1,264
Acceptance Rate 34.9% 87.7%
Enrolled % 21.4% 15.5%
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
SAT Range 1100/1298 1150/1320
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 Elms College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Health Professions (49%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • History (5%)
  • General Studies (4%)

Outcomes

Howard Elms College
Graduation Rate 63% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $46,300
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

Howard Elms College
% Men 8% 4%
% Women 16% 18%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 56%
% Black 91% 7%
% Hispanic 0% 10%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 0%
% International 5% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 24%

Students

Howard Elms College
% In-State 1% 71%
% Out-of-State 91% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Howard University is larger than than Elms College based on total student enrollment (13,416 students vs. 1,332 students)

Howard vs. Elms College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or Elms College?

  • College of Our Lady of the Elms is 22% more expensive to attend than Howard for in-state tuition ($40,095.00 vs. $32,878.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22% higher at Elms College than Howard University ($40,095.00 vs. $32,878.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of Our Lady of the Elms than Howard ($22,311 vs. $30,028)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of Our Lady of the Elms are 8.7% lower than costs at Howard University ($15,150 vs. $16,474)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Howard University as College of Our Lady of the Elms (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Our Lady of the Elms students is 44.8% larger than aid received Howard University ($31,015 vs. $21,422)

Howard vs. Elms College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Howard University (1105) is 129 points higher than at Elms College (976)
  • Incoming Howard students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Elms College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Howard students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Elms College (3.42)
  • Elms College has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than Howard (34.9%)

Howard vs. Elms College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Howard or Elms College? 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 Elms College and Howard.

  • The graduation rate at Howard is higher than College of Our Lady of the Elms (63% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Howard University earn on average $5,500 more per year than Elms College graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $46,300)
  • College of Our Lady of the Elms students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Howard graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Elms College graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Howard graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Elms College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 33%)

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