Howard vs. NC State

Should I go to Howard University or North Carolina State University at Raleigh? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Howard or NC State 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. North Carolina State University at Raleigh comparison
Howard University North Carolina State University at Raleigh College 3 College 4
Howard University North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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Overview

 Howard NC State
Location Washington, DC Raleigh, NC
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 12,886 36,700
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #318 #123
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website howard.edu ncsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Howard NC State
Tuition (In State) $30,584 $6,535
Tuition (Out of State) $30,584 $28,276
Room & Board $15,880 $12,748
Avg Net Price $28,279 $14,852
Avg Grant Aid $20,063 $9,181
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 71%

Admission

 Howard NC State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,188 35,568
Admitted 10,253 16,779
Acceptance Rate 53.4% 47.2%
Enrolled % 24.3% 33.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.83
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 20/26 28/33
SAT Range 1050/1290 1280/1460
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Howard NC State
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

 Howard NC State
Graduation Rate 63% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $57,200
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $20,782
Median Loan Payment $279 $214

Diversity

 Howard NC State
% Men 29% 51%
% Women 71% 49%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 74%
% Black 91% 6%
% Hispanic 0% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 5% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 Howard NC State
% In-State 1% 83%
% Out-of-State 91% 14%

Campus

 Howard NC State
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

  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh is larger than than Howard based on total student enrollment (36,700 students vs. 12,886 students)

Howard vs. NC State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or NC State?

  • Howard University is 368% more expensive to attend than NC State for in-state tuition ($30,584.00 vs. $6,535.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.2% higher at Howard than North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($30,584.00 vs. $28,276.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than Howard ($14,852 vs. $28,279)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina State University at Raleigh are 24.6% lower than costs at Howard University ($12,748 vs. $15,880)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (99% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 118.5% larger than aid received North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($20,063 vs. $9,181)

Howard vs. NC State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at North Carolina State University at Raleigh (1264) is 159 points higher than at Howard (1105)
  • Incoming NC State students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Howard (24)
  • Accepted freshman NC State students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Howard (3.66)
  • Howard has a higher acceptance rate (53.4%) than NC State (47.2%)

Howard vs. NC State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Howard or NC State? 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 NC State and Howard.

  • The graduation rate at NC State is higher than Howard University (72% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from North Carolina State University at Raleigh earn on average $5,400 more per year than Howard graduates after ten years. ($57,200 vs. $51,800)
  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh students graduate with a $6,218 lower median federal student loan debt than Howard graduates. ($20,782 vs. $27,000)
  • NC State graduates are paying $65 less per month on federal student loans than Howard graduates. ($214 vs. $279)
  • More NC State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 33%)

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