Howard vs. UNCSA

Comparable Facts

Compare Howard University in Washington, DC with University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston Salem, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Howard University is larger than UNCSA based on total student enrollment (14,890 students vs. 1,111 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Howard University is located in Washington, DC (Large City setting); University of North Carolina School of the Arts is in Winston Salem, NC (Midsize City setting).
• Howard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of North Carolina School of the Arts is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Howard University 13:1; University of North Carolina School of the Arts 6:1.

Howard vs. UNCSA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or UNCSA? 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 University of North Carolina School of the Arts than Howard ($13,140 vs. $33,368).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina School of the Arts are 22% lower than at Howard University ($13,517 vs. $17,322).
• Howard University is 277.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than UNCSA (about $26,333 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $9,477.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 31.6% higher at Howard than at University of North Carolina School of the Arts (about $8,599 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $27,211.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard University than at University of North Carolina School of the Arts (99% vs. 62%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 65.1% larger than aid received by University of North Carolina School of the Arts students ($21,262 vs. $12,876).

Howard vs. UNCSA Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Howard or UNCSA? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between UNCSA and Howard.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of North Carolina School of the Arts (1260) is 50 points higher than at Howard (1210).
• Incoming Howard students have the same typical ACT composite (median estimate; 25) as students at UNCSA (25).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 1090/1320; University of North Carolina School of the Arts 1140/1370.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 22/28; University of North Carolina School of the Arts 22/29.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Howard - Test optional; UNCSA - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: Howard Feb 15, 2027; UNCSA Mar 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman UNCSA 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 UNCSA (30%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.4% at Howard vs. 55.5% at UNCSA.

Howard vs. UNCSA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Howard and UNCSA? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Howard University's six-year graduation rate (63%) is higher than University of North Carolina School of the Arts's (58%).
• Graduates from Howard University earn a median of about $12,700 more per year than UNCSA graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,800 vs. $39,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of North Carolina School of the Arts and Howard graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, University of North Carolina School of the Arts and Howard graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
• More UNCSA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (56% 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.