Howard vs. Hunter

Deciding between Howard University and CUNY Hunter College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Howard University
CUNY Hunter College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Howard Washington, DC
  • Hunter New York, NY
  • Setting
  • Howard Large City
  • Hunter Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Howard 14,890
  • Hunter 22,538
  • Type
  • Howard Private 4 Year
  • Hunter Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Howard #310
  • Hunter #297
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Howard -
  • Hunter -
  • Status
  • Howard Non-profit
  • Hunter Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Howard
  • Hunter

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • Hunter $7,382
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • Hunter $15,332
  • Room & Board
  • Howard $17,322
  • Hunter $11,832
  • Average Net Price
  • Howard $33,368
  • Hunter $4,431
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Howard $21,262
  • Hunter $9,755
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Howard 99%
  • Hunter 87%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Howard 34,211
  • Hunter 32,271
  • Admitted
  • Howard 14,144
  • Hunter 17,362
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Howard 41.3%
  • Hunter 53.8%
  • Enrolled
  • Howard 19.4%
  • Hunter 16.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Howard 1210
  • Hunter 1260
  • Typical ACT score
  • Howard 25
  • Hunter
  • Average High School GPA
  • Howard 3.66
  • Hunter 3.7
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Howard A-
  • Hunter A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Howard Challenging
  • Hunter Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Howard Low
  • Hunter Low
  • ACT Range
  • Howard 22/28
  • Hunter
  • SAT Range
  • Howard 1090/1320
  • Hunter 1100/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Howard Test optional
  • Hunter Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Howard Feb 15, 2027
  • Hunter

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Howard 13:1
  • Hunter 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Howard
    • Business (20%)
    • Communication (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Psychology (9%)
  • Hunter
    • Social Sciences (20%)
    • Psychology (16%)
    • English and Literature (13%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
    • Health Professions (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Howard 63%
  • Hunter 46%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Howard $51,800
  • Hunter $48,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Howard 33%
  • Hunter 56%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Howard $27,000
  • Hunter $11,548
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Howard $279
  • Hunter $119

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Howard 30%
  • Hunter 33%
  • % Women
  • Howard 70%
  • Hunter 67%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Howard Very Low
  • Hunter Very High
  • HBCU
  • Howard Yes
  • Hunter No
  • % White
  • Howard 2%
  • Hunter 27%
  • % Asian
  • Howard 1%
  • Hunter 26%
  • % Black
  • Howard 91%
  • Hunter 10%
  • % Hispanic
  • Howard 0%
  • Hunter 29%
  • % Native American
  • Howard 1%
  • Hunter 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Howard 0%
  • Hunter 1%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Howard 0%
  • Hunter 2%
  • % International
  • Howard 5%
  • Hunter 6%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Howard 0%
  • Hunter 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Howard 2%
  • Hunter 82%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Howard 94%
  • Hunter 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Howard Yes
  • Hunter Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Howard Yes
  • Hunter No
  • Meal Plan
  • Howard Yes
  • Hunter No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Howard No
  • Hunter No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Howard No
  • Hunter Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Howard University in Washington, DC with CUNY Hunter College in New York, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

CUNY Hunter College is larger than Howard based on total student enrollment (22,538 students vs. 14,890 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Howard University is located in Washington, DC (Large City setting); CUNY Hunter College is in New York, NY (Large City setting).
  • Howard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. CUNY Hunter College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Howard University 13:1; CUNY Hunter College 14:1.

Howard vs. Hunter Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or Hunter? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY Hunter College than Howard ($4,431 vs. $33,368).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY Hunter College are 31.7% lower than at Howard University ($11,832 vs. $17,322).
  • Howard University is 385.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Hunter (about $28,428 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $7,382.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 133.6% higher at Howard than at CUNY Hunter College (about $20,478 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $15,332.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard University than at CUNY Hunter College (99% vs. 87%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 118% larger than aid received by CUNY Hunter College students ($21,262 vs. $9,755).

Howard vs. Hunter Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Howard or Hunter? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Hunter and Howard.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at CUNY Hunter College (1260) is 50 points higher than at Howard (1210).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 1090/1320; CUNY Hunter College 1100/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 22/28.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Howard - Test optional; Hunter - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Howard Feb 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Hunter students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Howard (3.66).
  • Hunter has a higher acceptance rate (53.8%) than Howard (41.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.4% at Howard vs. 16.7% at Hunter.

Howard vs. Hunter Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Howard and Hunter? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Howard University's six-year graduation rate (63%) is higher than CUNY Hunter College's (46%).
  • Graduates from Howard University earn a median of about $3,000 more per year than Hunter graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,800 vs. $48,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, CUNY Hunter College graduates have a $15,452 lower median loan debt than Howard graduates ($11,548 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Hunter graduates have an estimated $160 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Howard graduates ($119 vs. $279).
  • More Hunter graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 33%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.