Howard vs. Spelman

Deciding between Howard University and Spelman 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
Spelman College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Howard Washington, DC
  • Spelman Atlanta, GA
  • Setting
  • Howard Large City
  • Spelman Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Howard 14,890
  • Spelman 3,417
  • Type
  • Howard Private 4 Year
  • Spelman Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Howard #310
  • Spelman #271
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Howard -
  • Spelman -
  • Status
  • Howard Non-profit
  • Spelman Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Howard
  • Spelman

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • Spelman $31,556
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • Spelman $31,556
  • Room & Board
  • Howard $17,322
  • Spelman $18,091
  • Average Net Price
  • Howard $33,368
  • Spelman $40,354
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Howard $21,262
  • Spelman $10,614
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Howard 99%
  • Spelman 96%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Howard 34,211
  • Spelman 12,023
  • Admitted
  • Howard 14,144
  • Spelman 2,990
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Howard 41.3%
  • Spelman 24.9%
  • Enrolled
  • Howard 19.4%
  • Spelman 23.6%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Howard 1210
  • Spelman 1210
  • Typical ACT score
  • Howard 25
  • Spelman 25
  • Average High School GPA
  • Howard 3.66
  • Spelman 3.75
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Howard A-
  • Spelman A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Howard Challenging
  • Spelman Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • Howard Low
  • Spelman High
  • ACT Range
  • Howard 22/28
  • Spelman 22/29
  • SAT Range
  • Howard 1090/1320
  • Spelman 1108/1320
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Howard Test optional
  • Spelman Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Howard Feb 15, 2027
  • Spelman Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Howard 13:1
  • Spelman 11:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Howard
    • Business (20%)
    • Communication (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Psychology (9%)
  • Spelman
    • Social Sciences (28%)
    • Psychology (20%)
    • Biology (14%)
    • English and Literature (12%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Howard 63%
  • Spelman 77%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Howard $51,800
  • Spelman $51,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Howard 33%
  • Spelman 47%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Howard $27,000
  • Spelman $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Howard $279
  • Spelman $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Howard 30%
  • Spelman 5%
  • % Women
  • Howard 70%
  • Spelman 95%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Howard Very Low
  • Spelman Extremely Low
  • HBCU
  • Howard Yes
  • Spelman Yes
  • % White
  • Howard 2%
  • Spelman 0%
  • % Asian
  • Howard 1%
  • Spelman 0%
  • % Black
  • Howard 91%
  • Spelman 96%
  • % Hispanic
  • Howard 0%
  • Spelman 0%
  • % Native American
  • Howard 1%
  • Spelman 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Howard 0%
  • Spelman 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Howard 0%
  • Spelman 2%
  • % International
  • Howard 5%
  • Spelman 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Howard 0%
  • Spelman 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Howard 2%
  • Spelman 21%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Howard 94%
  • Spelman 78%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Howard University in Washington, DC with Spelman College in Atlanta, GA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Howard University is larger than Spelman based on total student enrollment (14,890 students vs. 3,417 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Howard University is located in Washington, DC (Large City setting); Spelman College is in Atlanta, GA (Large City setting).
  • Howard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Spelman College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Howard University 13:1; Spelman College 11:1.

Howard vs. Spelman Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or Spelman? 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 Howard University than Spelman ($33,368 vs. $40,354).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Howard University are 4.3% lower than at Spelman College ($17,322 vs. $18,091).
  • Howard University is 13.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Spelman (about $4,254 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $31,556.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 13.5% higher at Howard than at Spelman College (about $4,254 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $31,556.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard University than at Spelman College (99% vs. 96%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 100.3% larger than aid received by Spelman College students ($21,262 vs. $10,614).

Howard vs. Spelman Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Howard or Spelman? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Spelman and Howard.

  • The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Howard University (1210) is the same as at Spelman (1210).
  • Incoming Howard students have the same typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate; 25) as students at Spelman (25).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Howard University 1090/1320; Spelman College 1108/1320.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Howard University 22/28; Spelman College 22/29.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Howard - Test optional; Spelman - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Howard Feb 15, 2027; Spelman Feb 1, 2027.
  • Enrolled freshman Spelman students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Howard (3.66).
  • Howard has a higher acceptance rate (41.3%) than Spelman (24.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.4% at Howard vs. 23.6% at Spelman.

Howard vs. Spelman Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Howard and Spelman? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • Spelman College's six-year graduation rate (77%) is higher than Howard University's (63%).
  • Graduates from Howard University earn a median of about $500 more per year than Spelman graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,800 vs. $51,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Spelman College and Howard graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers in the federal data, Spelman College and Howard graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
  • More Spelman graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (47% 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.