Howard vs. Rutgers

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

 Howard Rutgers
Location Washington, DC New Brunswick, NJ
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 13,416 50,617
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #249 #113
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website howard.edu rutgers.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Howard Rutgers
Tuition (In State) $32,878 $13,674
Tuition (Out of State) $32,878 $32,436
Room & Board $16,474 $14,715
Avg Net Price $30,028 $19,052
Avg Grant Aid $21,422 $16,249
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 52%

Admission

 Howard Rutgers
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,342 43,347
Admitted 10,587 28,326
Acceptance Rate 34.9% 65.3%
Enrolled % 21.4% 27.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 22/28 28/33
SAT Range 1100/1298 1270/1480
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 Rutgers
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

 Howard Rutgers
Graduation Rate 63% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $66,200
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,215
Median Loan Payment $279 $229

Diversity

 Howard Rutgers
% Men 8% 10%
% Women 16% 18%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Very High
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 42%
% Black 91% 7%
% Hispanic 0% 13%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 5% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 Howard Rutgers
% In-State 1% 84%
% Out-of-State 91% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than than Howard based on total student enrollment (50,617 students vs. 13,416 students)

Howard vs. Rutgers Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or Rutgers?

  • Howard University is 140.4% more expensive to attend than Rutgers for in-state tuition ($32,878.00 vs. $13,674.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.4% higher at Howard than Rutgers University New Brunswick ($32,878.00 vs. $32,436.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rutgers University New Brunswick than Howard ($19,052 vs. $30,028)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 12% lower than costs at Howard University ($14,715 vs. $16,474)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than Rutgers University New Brunswick (100% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 31.8% larger than aid received Rutgers University New Brunswick ($21,422 vs. $16,249)

Howard vs. Rutgers Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rutgers University New Brunswick (1225) is 120 points higher than at Howard (1105)
  • Accepted freshman Howard students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Rutgers (3.3)
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (65.3%) than Howard (34.9%)

Howard vs. Rutgers Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Rutgers is higher than Howard University (77% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Rutgers University New Brunswick earn on average $14,400 more per year than Howard graduates after ten years. ($66,200 vs. $51,800)
  • Rutgers University New Brunswick students graduate with a $4,785 lower median federal student loan debt than Howard graduates. ($22,215 vs. $27,000)
  • Rutgers graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than Howard graduates. ($229 vs. $279)
  • More Rutgers graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 33%)

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