Howard vs. FDU

Deciding between Howard University and Fairleigh Dickinson University Florham Campus? 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
Fairleigh Dickinson University Florham Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Howard Washington, DC
  • FDU Madison, NJ
  • Setting
  • Howard Large City
  • FDU Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Howard 14,890
  • FDU 2,885
  • Type
  • Howard Private 4 Year
  • FDU Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Howard #310
  • FDU #391
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Howard -
  • FDU -
  • Status
  • Howard Non-profit
  • FDU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Howard
  • FDU
  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • FDU $38,004
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • FDU $38,004
  • Room & Board
  • Howard $17,322
  • FDU $16,270
  • Average Net Price
  • Howard $33,368
  • FDU $25,585
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Howard $21,262
  • FDU $28,294
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Howard 99%
  • FDU 100%
  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Howard 34,211
  • FDU 5,652
  • Admitted
  • Howard 14,144
  • FDU 5,380
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Howard 41.3%
  • FDU 95.2%
  • Enrolled
  • Howard 19.4%
  • FDU 10.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Howard 1210
  • FDU 1180
  • Typical ACT score
  • Howard 25
  • FDU 24
  • Average High School GPA
  • Howard 3.66
  • FDU 3.42
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Howard A-
  • FDU B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Howard Challenging
  • FDU Difficult
  • Applicant Competition
  • Howard Low
  • FDU
  • ACT Range
  • Howard 22/28
  • FDU 19/30
  • SAT Range
  • Howard 1090/1320
  • FDU 1040/1310
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Howard Test optional
  • FDU Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Howard Feb 15, 2027
  • FDU
  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Howard 13:1
  • FDU 11:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Howard
    • Business (20%)
    • Communication (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Psychology (9%)
  • FDU
    • Business (34%)
    • Psychology (16%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Howard 63%
  • FDU 55%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Howard $51,800
  • FDU $52,900
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Howard 33%
  • FDU 60%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Howard $27,000
  • FDU $26,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Howard $279
  • FDU $268
  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Howard 30%
  • FDU 43%
  • % Women
  • Howard 70%
  • FDU 57%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Howard Very Low
  • FDU Medium
  • HBCU
  • Howard Yes
  • FDU No
  • % White
  • Howard 2%
  • FDU 58%
  • % Asian
  • Howard 1%
  • FDU 4%
  • % Black
  • Howard 91%
  • FDU 11%
  • % Hispanic
  • Howard 0%
  • FDU 16%
  • % Native American
  • Howard 1%
  • FDU 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Howard 0%
  • FDU 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Howard 0%
  • FDU 2%
  • % International
  • Howard 5%
  • FDU 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Howard 0%
  • FDU 7%
  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Howard 2%
  • FDU 86%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Howard 94%
  • FDU 14%
  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Howard University in Washington, DC with Fairleigh Dickinson University Florham Campus in Madison, NJ on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Howard University is larger than FDU based on total student enrollment (14,890 students vs. 2,885 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Howard University is located in Washington, DC (Large City setting); Fairleigh Dickinson University Florham Campus is in Madison, NJ (Large Suburban setting).
  • Howard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Fairleigh Dickinson University Florham Campus is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Howard University 13:1; Fairleigh Dickinson University Florham Campus 11:1.

Howard vs. FDU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or FDU? 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 Fairleigh Dickinson University Florham Campus than Howard ($25,585 vs. $33,368).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fairleigh Dickinson University Florham Campus are 6.1% lower than at Howard University ($16,270 vs. $17,322).
  • Fairleigh Dickinson University Florham Campus is 6.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Howard (about $2,194 more per year; $38,004.00 vs. $35,810.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 6.1% higher at FDU than at Howard University (about $2,194 more per year; $38,004.00 vs. $35,810.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Fairleigh Dickinson University Florham Campus than at Howard University (100% vs. 99%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Fairleigh Dickinson University Florham Campus students is 33.1% larger than aid received by Howard University students ($28,294 vs. $21,262).

Howard vs. FDU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Howard or FDU? 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 FDU and Howard.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Howard University (1210) is 30 points higher than at FDU (1180).
  • Incoming Howard students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (25 vs. 24 at FDU).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 1090/1320; Fairleigh Dickinson University Florham Campus 1040/1310.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 22/28; Fairleigh Dickinson University Florham Campus 19/30.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Howard - Test optional; FDU - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Howard Feb 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Howard students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at FDU (3.42).
  • FDU has a higher acceptance rate (95.2%) than Howard (41.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.4% at Howard vs. 10.5% at FDU.

Howard vs. FDU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Howard and FDU? 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 Fairleigh Dickinson University Florham Campus's (55%).
  • Graduates from Fairleigh Dickinson University Florham Campus earn a median of about $1,100 more per year than Howard graduates about ten years after starting college ($52,900 vs. $51,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Fairleigh Dickinson University Florham Campus graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than Howard graduates ($26,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, FDU graduates have an estimated $11 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Howard graduates ($268 vs. $279).
  • More FDU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (60% 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.