UD vs. Howard

Deciding between University of Delaware and Howard 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.

University of Delaware
Howard University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • UD Newark, DE
  • Howard Washington, DC
  • Setting
  • UD Large Suburban
  • Howard Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • UD 24,412
  • Howard 14,890
  • Type
  • UD Public 4 Year
  • Howard Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UD #150
  • Howard #310
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UD -
  • Howard -
  • Status
  • UD Non-profit
  • Howard Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UD
  • Howard

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UD $16,810
  • Howard $35,810
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UD $41,400
  • Howard $35,810
  • Room & Board
  • UD $15,386
  • Howard $17,322
  • Average Net Price
  • UD $19,139
  • Howard $33,368
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UD $13,302
  • Howard $21,262
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UD 91%
  • Howard 99%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UD 39,995
  • Howard 34,211
  • Admitted
  • UD 28,238
  • Howard 14,144
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UD 70.6%
  • Howard 41.3%
  • Enrolled
  • UD 15.7%
  • Howard 19.4%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UD 1280
  • Howard 1210
  • Typical ACT score
  • UD 30
  • Howard 25
  • Average High School GPA
  • UD 3.94
  • Howard 3.66
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UD A
  • Howard A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • UD Very High
  • Howard Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • UD Low
  • Howard Low
  • ACT Range
  • UD 28/32
  • Howard 22/28
  • SAT Range
  • UD 1190/1370
  • Howard 1090/1320
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UD Test optional
  • Howard Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UD Jan 15, 2027
  • Howard Feb 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UD 16:1
  • Howard 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UD
    • Business (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Education (8%)
    • Engineering (7%)
    • Health Professions (7%)
  • Howard
    • Business (20%)
    • Communication (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Psychology (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UD 78%
  • Howard 63%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UD $61,300
  • Howard $51,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UD 80%
  • Howard 33%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UD $24,203
  • Howard $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UD $250
  • Howard $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UD 41%
  • Howard 30%
  • % Women
  • UD 59%
  • Howard 70%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UD Low
  • Howard Very Low
  • HBCU
  • UD No
  • Howard Yes
  • % White
  • UD 74%
  • Howard 2%
  • % Asian
  • UD 5%
  • Howard 1%
  • % Black
  • UD 6%
  • Howard 91%
  • % Hispanic
  • UD 8%
  • Howard 0%
  • % Native American
  • UD 0%
  • Howard 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UD 0%
  • Howard 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UD 3%
  • Howard 0%
  • % International
  • UD 4%
  • Howard 5%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UD 1%
  • Howard 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UD 39%
  • Howard 2%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UD 59%
  • Howard 94%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Delaware in Newark, DE with Howard University in Washington, DC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Delaware is larger than Howard based on total student enrollment (24,412 students vs. 14,890 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Delaware is located in Newark, DE (Large Suburban setting); Howard University is in Washington, DC (Large City setting).
  • University of Delaware is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Howard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Delaware 16:1; Howard University 13:1.

UD vs. Howard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UD or Howard? 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 Delaware than Howard ($19,139 vs. $33,368).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Delaware are 11.2% lower than at Howard University ($15,386 vs. $17,322).
  • Howard University is 113% more expensive for in-state tuition than UD (about $19,000 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $16,810.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 15.6% higher at UD than at Howard University (about $5,590 more per year; $41,400.00 vs. $35,810.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard University than at University of Delaware (99% vs. 91%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 59.8% larger than aid received by University of Delaware students ($21,262 vs. $13,302).

UD vs. Howard Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of Delaware (1280) is 70 points higher than at Howard (1210).
  • Incoming UD 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: University of Delaware 1190/1370; Howard University 1090/1320.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Delaware 28/32; Howard University 22/28.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UD - Test optional; Howard - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UD Jan 15, 2027; Howard Feb 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman UD students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Howard (3.66).
  • UD has a higher acceptance rate (70.6%) than Howard (41.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.7% at UD vs. 19.4% at Howard.

UD vs. Howard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UD and Howard? 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).

  • University of Delaware's six-year graduation rate (78%) is higher than Howard University's (63%).
  • Graduates from University of Delaware earn a median of about $9,500 more per year than Howard graduates about ten years after starting college ($61,300 vs. $51,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Delaware graduates have a $2,797 lower median loan debt than Howard graduates ($24,203 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, UD graduates have an estimated $29 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Howard graduates ($250 vs. $279).
  • More UD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (80% 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.