Howard vs. UMBC

Should I go to Howard University or University of Maryland Baltimore County? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Howard or UMBC 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. University of Maryland Baltimore County comparison
Howard University University of Maryland Baltimore County College 3 College 4
Howard University University of Maryland Baltimore County
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Overview

 Howard UMBC
Location Washington, DC Baltimore, MD
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,416 14,148
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #249 #263
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website howard.edu umbc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Howard UMBC
Tuition (In State) $32,878 $9,238
Tuition (Out of State) $32,878 $26,594
Room & Board $16,474 $14,204
Avg Net Price $30,028 $17,704
Avg Grant Aid $21,422 $9,956
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 87%

Admission

 Howard UMBC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,342 13,150
Admitted 10,587 9,762
Acceptance Rate 34.9% 74.2%
Enrolled % 21.4% 20.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.97
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 22/28 23/30
SAT Range 1100/1298 1220/1410
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Howard UMBC
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 Howard UMBC
Graduation Rate 63% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $59,500
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,197
Median Loan Payment $279 $219

Diversity

 Howard UMBC
% Men 8% 14%
% Women 16% 12%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Very High
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 44%
% Black 91% 17%
% Hispanic 0% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 5% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

 Howard UMBC
% In-State 1% 85%
% Out-of-State 91% 6%

Campus

 Howard UMBC
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

  • University of Maryland Baltimore County is larger than than Howard based on total student enrollment (14,148 students vs. 13,416 students)

Howard vs. UMBC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or UMBC?

  • Howard University is 255.9% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($32,878.00 vs. $9,238.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.6% higher at Howard than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($32,878.00 vs. $26,594.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Howard ($17,704 vs. $30,028)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 16% lower than costs at Howard University ($14,204 vs. $16,474)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than University of Maryland Baltimore County (100% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 115.2% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($21,422 vs. $9,956)

Howard vs. UMBC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Maryland Baltimore County (1209) is 104 points higher than at Howard (1105)
  • Incoming UMBC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Howard (24)
  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Howard (3.66)
  • UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (74.2%) than Howard (34.9%)

Howard vs. UMBC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Howard is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (63% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from University of Maryland Baltimore County earn on average $7,700 more per year than Howard graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $51,800)
  • University of Maryland Baltimore County students graduate with a $5,803 lower median federal student loan debt than Howard graduates. ($21,197 vs. $27,000)
  • UMBC graduates are paying $60 less per month on federal student loans than Howard graduates. ($219 vs. $279)
  • More UMBC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 33%)

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