Howard vs. URI

Deciding between Howard University and University of Rhode Island? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Howard University
University of Rhode Island

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Howard Washington, DC
  • URI Kingston, RI
  • Setting
  • Howard Large City
  • URI Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Howard 14,890
  • URI 17,210
  • Type
  • Howard Private 4 Year
  • URI Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Howard #310
  • URI #425
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Howard -
  • URI -
  • Status
  • Howard Non-profit
  • URI Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Howard
  • URI

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • URI $16,942
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • URI $37,146
  • Room & Board
  • Howard $17,322
  • URI $15,607
  • Average Net Price
  • Howard $33,368
  • URI $24,118
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Howard $21,262
  • URI $12,578
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Howard 99%
  • URI 96%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Howard 34,211
  • URI 26,987
  • Admitted
  • Howard 14,144
  • URI 19,475
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Howard 41.3%
  • URI 72.2%
  • Enrolled
  • Howard 19.4%
  • URI 15.4%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Howard 1210
  • URI 1150
  • Typical ACT score
  • Howard 25
  • URI
  • Average High School GPA
  • Howard 3.66
  • URI 3.58
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Howard A-
  • URI A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Howard Challenging
  • URI Average
  • Applicant Competition
  • Howard Low
  • URI Low
  • ACT Range
  • Howard 22/28
  • URI
  • SAT Range
  • Howard 1090/1320
  • URI 1020/1280
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Howard Test optional
  • URI Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Howard Feb 15, 2027
  • URI Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Howard 13:1
  • URI 17:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Howard
    • Business (20%)
    • Communication (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Psychology (9%)
  • URI
    • Business (14%)
    • Communication (10%)
    • Health Professions (10%)
    • Social Sciences (9%)
    • Engineering (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Howard 63%
  • URI 63%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Howard $51,800
  • URI $56,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Howard 33%
  • URI 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Howard $27,000
  • URI $23,438
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Howard $279
  • URI $242

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Howard 30%
  • URI 41%
  • % Women
  • Howard 70%
  • URI 59%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Howard Very Low
  • URI Low
  • HBCU
  • Howard Yes
  • URI No
  • % White
  • Howard 2%
  • URI 71%
  • % Asian
  • Howard 1%
  • URI 3%
  • % Black
  • Howard 91%
  • URI 5%
  • % Hispanic
  • Howard 0%
  • URI 9%
  • % Native American
  • Howard 1%
  • URI 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Howard 0%
  • URI 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Howard 0%
  • URI 3%
  • % International
  • Howard 5%
  • URI 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Howard 0%
  • URI 7%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Howard 2%
  • URI 42%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Howard 94%
  • URI 57%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Howard Yes
  • URI Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Howard Yes
  • URI No
  • Meal Plan
  • Howard Yes
  • URI Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Howard No
  • URI No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Howard No
  • URI Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Howard University in Washington, DC with University of Rhode Island in Kingston, RI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Rhode Island is larger than Howard based on total student enrollment (17,210 students vs. 14,890 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Howard University is located in Washington, DC (Large City setting); University of Rhode Island is in Kingston, RI (Large Suburban setting).
  • Howard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Rhode Island is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Howard University 13:1; University of Rhode Island 17:1.

Howard vs. URI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or URI? 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 Rhode Island than Howard ($24,118 vs. $33,368).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Rhode Island are 9.9% lower than at Howard University ($15,607 vs. $17,322).
  • Howard University is 111.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than URI (about $18,868 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $16,942.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 3.7% higher at URI than at Howard University (about $1,336 more per year; $37,146.00 vs. $35,810.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard University than at University of Rhode Island (99% vs. 96%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 69% larger than aid received by University of Rhode Island students ($21,262 vs. $12,578).

Howard vs. URI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Howard or URI? 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 URI and Howard.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Howard University (1210) is 60 points higher than at URI (1150).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 1090/1320; University of Rhode Island 1020/1280.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 22/28.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Howard - Test optional; URI - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Howard Feb 15, 2027; URI Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Howard students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at URI (3.58).
  • URI has a higher acceptance rate (72.2%) than Howard (41.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.4% at Howard vs. 15.4% at URI.

Howard vs. URI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Howard and URI? 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).

  • The graduation rate at Howard is the same as at University of Rhode Island (63% vs. 63%).
  • Graduates from University of Rhode Island earn a median of about $4,400 more per year than Howard graduates about ten years after starting college ($56,200 vs. $51,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Rhode Island graduates have a $3,562 lower median loan debt than Howard graduates ($23,438 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, URI graduates have an estimated $37 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Howard graduates ($242 vs. $279).
  • More URI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (69% 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.