Howard vs. Sweet Briar College

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

Howard Sweet Briar College
Location Washington, DC Sweet Briar, VA
Setting Large City Small Suburban
Enrollment 13,416 464
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #249
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website howard.edu sbc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Howard Sweet Briar College
Tuition (In State) $32,878 $23,730
Tuition (Out of State) $32,878 $23,730
Room & Board $16,474 $14,720
Avg Net Price $30,028 $25,598
Avg Grant Aid $21,422 $15,880
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Howard Sweet Briar College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,342 1,136
Admitted 10,587 815
Acceptance Rate 34.9% 71.7%
Enrolled % 21.4% 16.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.54
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 22/28 21/27
SAT Range 1100/1298 1100/1310
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 Sweet Briar College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)

Outcomes

Howard Sweet Briar College
Graduation Rate 63% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $41,700
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Howard Sweet Briar College
% Men 8% 0%
% Women 16% 0%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 71%
% Black 91% 9%
% Hispanic 0% 9%
% Native American 1% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 5%
% International 5% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Howard Sweet Briar College
% In-State 1% 43%
% Out-of-State 91% 49%

Campus

Howard Sweet Briar College
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

  • Howard University is larger than than Sweet Briar College based on total student enrollment (13,416 students vs. 464 students)

Howard vs. Sweet Briar College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or Sweet Briar College?

  • Howard University is 38.6% more expensive to attend than Sweet Briar College for in-state tuition ($32,878.00 vs. $23,730.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 38.6% higher at Howard than Sweet Briar College ($32,878.00 vs. $23,730.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sweet Briar College than Howard ($25,598 vs. $30,028)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sweet Briar College are 11.9% lower than costs at Howard University ($14,720 vs. $16,474)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than Sweet Briar College (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 34.9% larger than aid received Sweet Briar College ($21,422 vs. $15,880)

Howard vs. Sweet Briar College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Howard University (1105) is 7 points higher than at Sweet Briar College (1098)
  • Incoming Sweet Briar College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Howard (24)
  • Accepted freshman Howard students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Sweet Briar College (3.54)
  • Sweet Briar College has a higher acceptance rate (71.7%) than Howard (34.9%)

Howard vs. Sweet Briar College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Howard or Sweet Briar College? 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 Sweet Briar College and Howard.

  • The graduation rate at Sweet Briar College is higher than Howard University (70% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Howard University earn on average $10,100 more per year than Sweet Briar College graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $41,700)
  • Sweet Briar College and Howard graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Sweet Briar College and Howard graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Sweet Briar College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 33%)

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