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Penn State JMU NC State Purdue Clemson UofSC UVA Mason Maryland William & Mary VCU UD| Howard University | Virginia Tech | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Howard | Virginia Tech | ||
| Location | Washington, DC | Blacksburg, VA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 13,416 | 38,294 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #249 | #145 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | howard.edu | vt.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Howard | Virginia Tech | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $32,878 | $12,698 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $32,878 | $33,310 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,474 | $14,888 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $30,028 | $22,205 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,422 | $8,542 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 55% |
Admission |
Howard | Virginia Tech | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 30,342 | 47,208 | ||
| Admitted | 10,587 | 26,923 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 34.9% | 57% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.4% | 26.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.66 | 3.97 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 22/28 | 27/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1100/1298 | 1240/1420 | ||
| 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 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Howard | Virginia Tech | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Howard | Virginia Tech | ||
| Graduation Rate | 63% | 82% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,800 | $65,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 33% | 81% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $23,966 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $247 |
Diversity |
Howard | Virginia Tech | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 8% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 16% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Extremely Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | Yes | No | ||
| % White | 2% | 68% | ||
| % Black | 91% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 0% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 0% | 4% | ||
| % International | 5% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 3% |
Students |
Howard | Virginia Tech | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 1% | 61% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 91% | 33% | ||
Campus |
Howard | Virginia Tech | ||
| 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
- Virginia Tech is larger than than Howard based on total student enrollment (38,294 students vs. 13,416 students)
Howard vs. Virginia Tech Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Howard or Virginia Tech?
- Howard University is 158.9% more expensive to attend than Virginia Tech for in-state tuition ($32,878.00 vs. $12,698.00)
- Out of state tuition is 1.3% higher at Virginia Tech than Howard University ($33,310.00 vs. $32,878.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Tech than Howard ($22,205 vs. $30,028)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Tech are 10.7% lower than costs at Howard University ($14,888 vs. $16,474)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than Virginia Tech (100% vs. 55%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 150.8% larger than aid received Virginia Tech ($21,422 vs. $8,542)
Howard vs. Virginia Tech Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Howard or Virginia Tech? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Virginia Tech or Howard .
- The average SAT score at Virginia Tech (1210) is 105 points higher than at Howard (1105)
- Accepted freshman Virginia Tech students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Howard (3.66)
- Virginia Tech has a higher acceptance rate (57%) than Howard (34.9%)
Howard vs. Virginia Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Howard or Virginia Tech? 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 Virginia Tech and Howard.
- The graduation rate at Virginia Tech is higher than Howard University (82% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from Virginia Tech earn on average $13,200 more per year than Howard graduates after ten years. ($65,000 vs. $51,800)
- Virginia Tech students graduate with a $3,034 lower median federal student loan debt than Howard graduates. ($23,966 vs. $27,000)
- Virginia Tech graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than Howard graduates. ($247 vs. $279)
- More Virginia Tech graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 33%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/