Howard University acceptance rate, scores and deadlines

Washington, DC · private · 10,108 undergraduates

Acceptance rate 42.2% Fall 2025 · ↑0.9 pts
SAT, middle 50% 1050–1270 Enrolled, Fall 2025
Tests, 2026–27 Test-optional From the admissions site

Source: Common Data Set 2025–26 · deadlines from Howard's admissions site.

Chances at Howard
1500
unweighted, 4.0 scale —
Your odds · Regular decision Likely
70–96%
  • Your SAT 1500 is above the middle 50% of enrolled students (1050–1270).
  • Only 47% of enrolled students sent an SAT, so that middle 50% may run high.
  • Howard admits 42.2% of applicants overall.

Data: Common Data Set 2025–26 · Test-optional for 2026–27

An estimate, not a guarantee. Save to my list

Acceptance rate

Howard acceptance rate by year

15,724 of 37,270 applicants admitted for Fall 2025, against 41.3% for Fall 2024.

0% 20% 40% 60% 201520172019202120232025 42.2%
Show the numbers
Entering classAppliedAdmittedRateSource
Fall 202537,27015,72442.2%Common Data Set
Fall 202434,21114,14441.3%IPEDS
Fall 202330,34210,58734.9%IPEDS
Fall 202219,18810,25353.4%IPEDS
Fall 202129,39610,36235.3%IPEDS
Fall 202024,3259,39838.6%IPEDS
Fall 201921,0067,57836.1%IPEDS
Fall 201820,9466,61731.6%IPEDS
Fall 201716,8156,96441.4%IPEDS
Fall 201618,2255,46830.0%IPEDS
Fall 201515,1637,43649.0%IPEDS

2026–27 applications

Howard deadlines for 2026–27

Apply with Common App. Checked October 24, 2026 on Howard's admissions site. Dates can change; confirm them there before you submit.

  1. Early decision Apply by Decisions Late December
  2. Early action Apply by Decisions Late December
  3. Regular decision Apply by Decisions Early April
Every 2026–27 deadline, in date order

Early rounds

Early decision and early action at Howard

Early decision 84.4% 363 of 430 · Fall 2025
Overall 42.2% All applicants · Fall 2025

Early pools include recruited athletes and other special cases, so the gap overstates the boost for a typical applicant. Early decision is binding: apply only if you would enroll.

Scores and GPA

Test scores and GPA at Howard

Scores are for enrolled students who sent them, not for everyone admitted.

SAT, middle 50% 1050–1270
40047% sent a score1600
ACT, middle 50% 20–26
1Enrolled, Fall 202536
Average high school GPA 3.68
As reported, 100% reported a GPA
High school GPA of enrolled first-years (Fall 2025)
  • 4.07.0%
  • 3.75–3.9943.0%
  • 3.50–3.7430.0%
  • 3.25–3.4913.0%
  • 3.00–3.246.0%
  • 2.50–2.991.0%

What counts

What Howard weighs

From section C7 of Howard's Common Data Set 2025–26.

Very important

  • Course rigor
  • GPA
  • Test scores

Important

  • Character

Considered

  • Class rank
  • Essays
  • Recommendations
  • Activities
  • Talent or ability
  • First-generation status
  • Alumni relation
  • Volunteer work
  • Work experience
  • Demonstrated interest

Not considered

  • Interview
  • Where you live
  • State residency
  • Religious affiliation

Waitlist

Howard waitlist

1,310 students were offered a place on the waitlist for Fall 2025, 637 accepted it.

Cost

What Howard costs

From the College Scorecard. For your own estimate, use Howard's net price calculator.

Tuition$38,936
Per year
Average net price$33,002
After grants, aided students
Open Howard's net price calculator

Compare

Colleges with a similar acceptance rate

Close to Howard's 42.2%, from the same official data.

FAQ

Questions about Howard admissions

What is Howard's acceptance rate?

Howard admitted 15,724 of 37,270 first-year applicants for Fall 2025, an acceptance rate of 42.2%. That is up from 41.3% for Fall 2024. Source: Common Data Set 2025–26.

Is Howard test-optional for 2026–27?

Yes. Howard is test-optional for 2026–27: you can apply with or without SAT or ACT scores.

When are Howard's application deadlines for 2026–27?

Early decision: November 1, 2026; Early action: November 1, 2026; Regular decision: February 1, 2027. Check Howard's admissions site before you apply, as dates can change.

What SAT score do you need for Howard?

There is no cutoff. The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1050–1270 on the SAT (Fall 2025), and 47% of them sent a score. A score at or above 1270 is in the top quarter of enrolled students.

Does applying early decision help at Howard?

For Fall 2025, Howard admitted 84.4% of 430 early decision applicants, compared with 42.2% overall. Early pools include recruited athletes and other special cases, so the gap overstates the boost for a typical applicant.

Where the numbers come from

Sources

Odds are estimates from public data, shown as a range. An estimate, not a guarantee.

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