Howard vs. UNCW

Should I go to Howard University or University of North Carolina at Wilmington? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Howard or UNCW 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 North Carolina at Wilmington comparison
Howard University University of North Carolina at Wilmington College 3 College 4
Howard University University of North Carolina at Wilmington
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Overview

 Howard UNCW
Location Washington, DC Wilmington, NC
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 13,416 17,987
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #249 #390
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website howard.edu uncw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Howard UNCW
Tuition (In State) $32,878 $4,443
Tuition (Out of State) $32,878 $20,111
Room & Board $16,474 $12,605
Avg Net Price $30,028 $18,606
Avg Grant Aid $21,422 $6,516
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 54%

Admission

 Howard UNCW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,342 17,370
Admitted 10,587 12,856
Acceptance Rate 34.9% 74%
Enrolled % 21.4% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 22/28 24/28
SAT Range 1100/1298 1220/1360
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 UNCW
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

 Howard UNCW
Graduation Rate 63% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $44,700
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $211

Diversity

 Howard UNCW
% Men 8% 5%
% Women 16% 14%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 78%
% Black 91% 5%
% Hispanic 0% 7%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 5% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

 Howard UNCW
% In-State 1% 77%
% Out-of-State 91% 22%

Campus

 Howard UNCW
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

  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington is larger than than Howard based on total student enrollment (17,987 students vs. 13,416 students)

Howard vs. UNCW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or UNCW?

  • Howard University is 640% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($32,878.00 vs. $4,443.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 63.5% higher at Howard than University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($32,878.00 vs. $20,111.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Wilmington than Howard ($18,606 vs. $30,028)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Wilmington are 30.7% lower than costs at Howard University ($12,605 vs. $16,474)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (100% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 228.8% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($21,422 vs. $6,516)

Howard vs. UNCW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Wilmington (1162) is 57 points higher than at Howard (1105)
  • Incoming UNCW students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Howard (24)
  • Accepted freshman Howard students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at UNCW (3.56)
  • UNCW has a higher acceptance rate (74%) than Howard (34.9%)

Howard vs. UNCW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UNCW is higher than Howard University (67% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Howard University earn on average $7,100 more per year than UNCW graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $44,700)
  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Howard graduates. ($20,500 vs. $27,000)
  • UNCW graduates are paying $68 less per month on federal student loans than Howard graduates. ($211 vs. $279)
  • More UNCW graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 33%)

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