Howard vs. Mason

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

 Howard Mason
Location Washington, DC Fairfax, VA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 12,886 39,049
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #318 #228
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website howard.edu gmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Howard Mason
Tuition (In State) $30,584 $9,795
Tuition (Out of State) $30,584 $35,377
Room & Board $15,880 $13,120
Avg Net Price $28,279 $18,479
Avg Grant Aid $20,063 $10,760
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 74%

Admission

 Howard Mason
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,188 20,001
Admitted 10,253 18,001
Acceptance Rate 53.4% 90%
Enrolled % 24.3% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 25/31
SAT Range 1050/1290 1140/1350
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, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Howard Mason
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 Howard Mason
Graduation Rate 63% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $279 $204

Diversity

 Howard Mason
% Men 29% 48%
% Women 71% 52%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Very High
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 43%
% Black 91% 11%
% Hispanic 0% 13%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 5%
% International 5% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

 Howard Mason
% In-State 1% 77%
% Out-of-State 91% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • George Mason University is larger than than Howard based on total student enrollment (39,049 students vs. 12,886 students)

Howard vs. Mason Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or Mason?

  • Howard University is 212.2% more expensive to attend than Mason for in-state tuition ($30,584.00 vs. $9,795.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.7% higher at Mason than Howard University ($35,377.00 vs. $30,584.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at George Mason University than Howard ($18,479 vs. $28,279)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at George Mason University are 21% lower than costs at Howard University ($13,120 vs. $15,880)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than George Mason University (99% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 86.5% larger than aid received George Mason University ($20,063 vs. $10,760)

Howard vs. Mason Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at George Mason University (1153) is 48 points higher than at Howard (1105)
  • Incoming Mason students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Howard (24)
  • Accepted freshman Mason students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Howard (3.66)
  • Mason has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than Howard (53.4%)

Howard vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Howard or Mason? 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 Mason and Howard.

  • The graduation rate at Mason is higher than Howard University (64% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from George Mason University earn on average $10,100 more per year than Howard graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $51,800)
  • George Mason University students graduate with a $7,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Howard graduates. ($19,750 vs. $27,000)
  • Mason graduates are paying $75 less per month on federal student loans than Howard graduates. ($204 vs. $279)
  • More Mason graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 33%)

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