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JMU Mason Virginia Tech Mary Washington College Old Dominion Maryland CNU William & Mary UVA George Washington UMBC Spelman| Howard University | Virginia Commonwealth University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Howard | VCU | ||
| Location | Washington, DC | Richmond, VA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 13,416 | 28,238 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #249 | #469 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | howard.edu | vcu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Howard | VCU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $32,878 | $12,850 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $32,878 | $34,744 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,474 | $16,119 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $30,028 | $22,852 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,422 | $12,433 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 99% |
Admission |
Howard | VCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 30,342 | 19,052 | ||
| Admitted | 10,587 | 17,729 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 34.9% | 93.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.4% | 25.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.66 | 3.75 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 22/28 | 22/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1100/1298 | 1030/1270 | ||
| 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 | Jan 18, 2026 |
Academics |
Howard | VCU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Howard | VCU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 63% | 53% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,800 | $47,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 33% | 56% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $23,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $240 |
Diversity |
Howard | VCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 8% | 8% | ||
| % Women | 16% | 17% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Extremely Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | Yes | No | ||
| % White | 2% | 50% | ||
| % Black | 91% | 18% | ||
| % Hispanic | 0% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 0% | 6% | ||
| % International | 5% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
Howard | VCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 1% | 92% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 91% | 6% | ||
Campus |
Howard | VCU | ||
| 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
- Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than Howard based on total student enrollment (28,238 students vs. 13,416 students)
Howard vs. VCU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Howard or VCU?
- Howard University is 155.9% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($32,878.00 vs. $12,850.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.7% higher at VCU than Howard University ($34,744.00 vs. $32,878.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Commonwealth University than Howard ($22,852 vs. $30,028)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 2.2% lower than costs at Howard University ($16,119 vs. $16,474)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than Virginia Commonwealth University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 72.3% larger than aid received Virginia Commonwealth University ($21,422 vs. $12,433)
Howard vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Howard or VCU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VCU or Howard .
- The average SAT score at Howard University (1105) is 8 points higher than at VCU (1097)
- Incoming Howard students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at VCU (24)
- Accepted 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 (93.1%) than Howard (34.9%)
Howard vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Howard or VCU? 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 VCU and Howard.
- The graduation rate at Howard is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (63% vs. 53%)
- Graduates from Howard University earn on average $4,300 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $47,500)
- Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Howard graduates. ($23,250 vs. $27,000)
- VCU graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans 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/