Forbes magazine’s 2024-2025 America’s Top Colleges ranking has named Howard University the top historically Black college or university in the United States. This annual list features 500 colleges and evaluates institutions based on their return on investment, average student debt, and post-graduate outcomes.
Forbes emphasizes the importance of producing successful, high-earning graduates from various economic backgrounds. Howard ranked highly not only as the leading HBCU but also secured a spot among the top 100 colleges in the Northeast, coming in at #95.
In addition to Howard, other notable HBCUs recognized in Forbes’ rankings include Spelman College, Morehouse College, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, North Carolina A&T State University, and Hampton University.
“Howard University’s top ranking among HBCUs adds momentum to our march into the upper tier of the nation’s research institutions,” said Howard University President Ben Vinson III, Ph.D. “Howard’s singular influence at the nexus of intellectual discovery and global culture cannot be overstated, and we will continue to push the boundaries of knowledge to help the world solve its most pressing challenges.”
The accolade arrives at a pivotal moment for Howard University, which has experienced a surge in enrollment and expansion of programs. Recently, the University received a record-breaking gift of $175 million from Bloomberg Philanthropies, aimed at enhancing its College of Medicine, public health initiatives, and the training of health professionals of color.
Moreover, Howard University has made strides in research innovation, becoming home to the first U.S. Department of Defense University Affiliated Research Center established at an HBCU. A $90 million grant from the U.S. Air Force made the initiative focusing on research related to technological systems and artificial intelligence possible. Additionally, Howard has launched research centers dedicated to various fields including microchip design, data science, civil rights, and gender studies.
