Howard vs. Virginia Tech

Deciding between Howard University and Virginia Tech? 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 Tech

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Howard Washington, DC
  • Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
  • Setting
  • Howard Large City
  • Virginia Tech Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Howard 14,890
  • Virginia Tech 38,857
  • Type
  • Howard Private 4 Year
  • Virginia Tech Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Howard #310
  • Virginia Tech #142
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Howard -
  • Virginia Tech -
  • Status
  • Howard Non-profit
  • Virginia Tech Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Howard
  • Virginia Tech

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • Virginia Tech $15,948
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • Virginia Tech $37,764
  • Room & Board
  • Howard $17,322
  • Virginia Tech $16,550
  • Average Net Price
  • Howard $33,368
  • Virginia Tech $24,912
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Howard $21,262
  • Virginia Tech $9,168
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Howard 99%
  • Virginia Tech 60%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Howard 34,211
  • Virginia Tech 52,498
  • Admitted
  • Howard 14,144
  • Virginia Tech 28,758
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Howard 41.3%
  • Virginia Tech 54.8%
  • Enrolled
  • Howard 19.4%
  • Virginia Tech 25.3%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Howard 1210
  • Virginia Tech 1370
  • Typical ACT score
  • Howard 25
  • Virginia Tech 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • Howard 3.66
  • Virginia Tech 3.97
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Howard A-
  • Virginia Tech A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Howard Challenging
  • Virginia Tech Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Howard Low
  • Virginia Tech Low
  • ACT Range
  • Howard 22/28
  • Virginia Tech 28/32
  • SAT Range
  • Howard 1090/1320
  • Virginia Tech 1280/1450
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Howard Test optional
  • Virginia Tech Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Howard Feb 15, 2027
  • Virginia Tech Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Howard 13:1
  • Virginia Tech 17:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Howard
    • Business (20%)
    • Communication (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Psychology (9%)
  • Virginia Tech
    • Business (20%)
    • Engineering (19%)
    • Social Sciences (9%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • Work and Family Studies (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Howard 63%
  • Virginia Tech 82%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Howard $51,800
  • Virginia Tech $65,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Howard 33%
  • Virginia Tech 81%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Howard $27,000
  • Virginia Tech $23,966
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Howard $279
  • Virginia Tech $247

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Howard 30%
  • Virginia Tech 56%
  • % Women
  • Howard 70%
  • Virginia Tech 44%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Howard Very Low
  • Virginia Tech Medium
  • HBCU
  • Howard Yes
  • Virginia Tech No
  • % White
  • Howard 2%
  • Virginia Tech 68%
  • % Asian
  • Howard 1%
  • Virginia Tech 9%
  • % Black
  • Howard 91%
  • Virginia Tech 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Howard 0%
  • Virginia Tech 5%
  • % Native American
  • Howard 1%
  • Virginia Tech 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Howard 0%
  • Virginia Tech 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Howard 0%
  • Virginia Tech 4%
  • % International
  • Howard 5%
  • Virginia Tech 6%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Howard 0%
  • Virginia Tech 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Howard 2%
  • Virginia Tech 61%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Howard 94%
  • Virginia Tech 34%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Virginia Tech is larger than Howard based on total student enrollment (38,857 students vs. 14,890 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Howard vs. Virginia Tech Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or Virginia Tech? 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 Tech than Howard ($24,912 vs. $33,368).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Tech are 4.5% lower than at Howard University ($16,550 vs. $17,322).
  • Howard University is 124.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Virginia Tech (about $19,862 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $15,948.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 5.5% higher at Virginia Tech than at Howard University (about $1,954 more per year; $37,764.00 vs. $35,810.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard University than at Virginia Tech (99% vs. 60%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 131.9% larger than aid received by Virginia Tech students ($21,262 vs. $9,168).

Howard vs. Virginia Tech Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Virginia Tech (1370) is 160 points higher than at Howard (1210).
  • Incoming Virginia Tech students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (30 vs. 25 at Howard).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 1090/1320; Virginia Tech 1280/1450.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 22/28; Virginia Tech 28/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Howard - Test optional; Virginia Tech - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Howard Feb 15, 2027; Virginia Tech Jan 15, 2027.
  • 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 (54.8%) than Howard (41.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.4% at Howard vs. 25.3% at Virginia Tech.

Howard vs. Virginia Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Howard and Virginia Tech? 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).

  • Virginia Tech's six-year graduation rate (82%) is higher than Howard University's (63%).
  • Graduates from Virginia Tech earn a median of about $13,200 more per year than Howard graduates about ten years after starting college ($65,000 vs. $51,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Virginia Tech graduates have a $3,034 lower median loan debt than Howard graduates ($23,966 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Virginia Tech graduates have an estimated $32 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.