Howard vs. VCU

Deciding between Howard University and Virginia Commonwealth University? 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
Virginia Commonwealth University

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Howard Washington, DC
  • VCU Richmond, VA
  • Setting
  • Howard Large City
  • VCU Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Howard 14,890
  • VCU 28,464
  • Type
  • Howard Private 4 Year
  • VCU Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Howard #310
  • VCU #465
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Howard -
  • VCU -
  • Status
  • Howard Non-profit
  • VCU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Howard
  • VCU

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • VCU $16,945
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • VCU $40,109
  • Room & Board
  • Howard $17,322
  • VCU $18,254
  • Average Net Price
  • Howard $33,368
  • VCU $26,836
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Howard $21,262
  • VCU $14,186
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Howard 99%
  • VCU 88%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Howard 34,211
  • VCU 20,954
  • Admitted
  • Howard 14,144
  • VCU 19,408
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Howard 41.3%
  • VCU 92.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Howard 19.4%
  • VCU 21.6%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Howard 1210
  • VCU 1140
  • Typical ACT score
  • Howard 25
  • VCU 26
  • Average High School GPA
  • Howard 3.66
  • VCU 3.75
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Howard A-
  • VCU A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Howard Challenging
  • VCU Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • Howard Low
  • VCU
  • ACT Range
  • Howard 22/28
  • VCU 22/30
  • SAT Range
  • Howard 1090/1320
  • VCU 1010/1270
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Howard Test optional
  • VCU Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Howard Feb 15, 2027
  • VCU Jan 18, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Howard 13:1
  • VCU 17:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Howard
    • Business (20%)
    • Communication (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Psychology (9%)
  • VCU
    • Business (15%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
    • Health Professions (9%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Howard 63%
  • VCU 53%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Howard $51,800
  • VCU $47,500
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Howard 33%
  • VCU 56%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Howard $27,000
  • VCU $23,250
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Howard $279
  • VCU $240

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Howard 30%
  • VCU 36%
  • % Women
  • Howard 70%
  • VCU 64%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Howard Very Low
  • VCU High
  • HBCU
  • Howard Yes
  • VCU No
  • % White
  • Howard 2%
  • VCU 50%
  • % Asian
  • Howard 1%
  • VCU 13%
  • % Black
  • Howard 91%
  • VCU 18%
  • % Hispanic
  • Howard 0%
  • VCU 8%
  • % Native American
  • Howard 1%
  • VCU 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Howard 0%
  • VCU 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Howard 0%
  • VCU 6%
  • % International
  • Howard 5%
  • VCU 3%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Howard 0%
  • VCU 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Howard 2%
  • VCU 91%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Howard 94%
  • VCU 6%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Howard University in Washington, DC with Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than Howard based on total student enrollment (28,464 students vs. 14,890 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Howard University is located in Washington, DC (Large City setting); Virginia Commonwealth University is in Richmond, VA (Midsize City setting).
  • Howard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Virginia Commonwealth University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Howard University 13:1; Virginia Commonwealth University 17:1.

Howard vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or VCU? 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 Virginia Commonwealth University than Howard ($26,836 vs. $33,368).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Howard University are 5.1% lower than at Virginia Commonwealth University ($17,322 vs. $18,254).
  • Howard University is 111.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than VCU (about $18,865 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $16,945.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 12% higher at VCU than at Howard University (about $4,299 more per year; $40,109.00 vs. $35,810.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard University than at Virginia Commonwealth University (99% vs. 88%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 49.9% larger than aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students ($21,262 vs. $14,186).

Howard vs. VCU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Howard or VCU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between VCU and Howard.

  • The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Howard University (1210) is 70 points higher than at VCU (1140).
  • Incoming VCU students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate) (26 vs. 25 at Howard).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Howard University 1090/1320; Virginia Commonwealth University 1010/1270.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Howard University 22/28; Virginia Commonwealth University 22/30.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Howard - Test optional; VCU - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Howard Feb 15, 2027; VCU Jan 18, 2027.
  • Enrolled freshman VCU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Howard (3.66).
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (92.6%) than Howard (41.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.4% at Howard vs. 21.6% at VCU.

Howard vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Howard and VCU? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • Howard University's six-year graduation rate (63%) is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University's (53%).
  • Graduates from Howard University earn a median of about $4,300 more per year than VCU graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,800 vs. $47,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Virginia Commonwealth University graduates have a $3,750 lower median loan debt than Howard graduates ($23,250 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, VCU graduates have an estimated $39 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Howard graduates ($240 vs. $279).
  • More VCU 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.