Howard vs. UMass

Should I go to Howard University or University of Massachusetts Amherst? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Howard or UMass 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 Massachusetts Amherst comparison
Howard University University of Massachusetts Amherst College 3 College 4
Howard University University of Massachusetts Amherst
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Overview

Howard UMass
Location Washington, DC Amherst, MA
Setting Large City Town Fringe
Enrollment 12,886 32,229
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #318 #176
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website howard.edu umass.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Howard UMass
Tuition (In State) $30,584 $16,186
Tuition (Out of State) $30,584 $37,405
Room & Board $15,880 $14,123
Avg Net Price $28,279 $22,291
Avg Grant Aid $20,063 $12,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 85%

Admission

Howard UMass
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,188 45,451
Admitted 10,253 28,871
Acceptance Rate 53.4% 63.5%
Enrolled % 24.3% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.99
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 20/26 29/33
SAT Range 1050/1290 1260/1480
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, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Howard UMass
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Howard UMass
Graduation Rate 63% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $55,200
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $24,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $248

Diversity

Howard UMass
% Men 29% 49%
% Women 71% 51%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Medium
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 67%
% Black 91% 4%
% Hispanic 0% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 5% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 8%

Students

Howard UMass
% In-State 1% 65%
% Out-of-State 91% 24%

Campus

Howard UMass
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

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is larger than than Howard based on total student enrollment (32,229 students vs. 12,886 students)

Howard vs. UMass Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or UMass?

  • Howard University is 89% more expensive to attend than UMass for in-state tuition ($30,584.00 vs. $16,186.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22.3% higher at UMass than Howard University ($37,405.00 vs. $30,584.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Amherst than Howard ($22,291 vs. $28,279)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Amherst are 12.4% lower than costs at Howard University ($14,123 vs. $15,880)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than University of Massachusetts Amherst (99% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 62.5% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Amherst ($20,063 vs. $12,350)

Howard vs. UMass Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Massachusetts Amherst (1226) is 121 points higher than at Howard (1105)
  • Incoming UMass students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Howard (24)
  • Accepted freshman UMass students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at Howard (3.66)
  • UMass has a higher acceptance rate (63.5%) than Howard (53.4%)

Howard vs. UMass Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UMass is higher than Howard University (67% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from University of Massachusetts Amherst earn on average $3,400 more per year than Howard graduates after ten years. ($55,200 vs. $51,800)
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Howard graduates. ($24,000 vs. $27,000)
  • UMass graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Howard graduates. ($248 vs. $279)
  • More UMass 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/