Howard University Tops Forbes HBCU Rankings, Rises in National List

Howard University not only clinched the top spot on the outlet’s list of HBCUs, it placed among the top 100 colleges in the northeast.

Howard University has been named the nation’s No. 1 Historically Black College or University (HBCU) by Forbes.

The outlet’s annual list, which spotlights 500 educational institutions “producing successful, high-earning and influential graduates from all economic backgrounds, with less student debt,” recognized Howard as a leader in the space, noting that its impact across several industries is what placed the school in the top spot.

Thanks to extensive and impressive research in fields that include data science and cybersecurity, microchip design and validation, journalism, disease research, and the humanities, Howard, located in Washington, D.C., not only clinched the top spot on the outlet’s list of HBCUs, it ranked among the top 100 colleges in the northeast United States, coming in at 95.

Founded in 1867, Howard is a private research university comprised of 14 schools and colleges. Howard has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, and a list of other notable accolades, such as producing more on-campus African American Ph.D. recipients than any other establishment in the nation.

“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, in a press release shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE. “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.”

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This news follows Howard’s record-breaking $175 million donation from Bloomberg Philanthropies in August to support its College of Medicine, public health initiatives, and education of health professionals of color.

Additionally, the university is home to the first U.S. Department of Defense University Affiliated Research Center at an HBCU. The program is funded by a $90 million donation from the U.S. Air Force, used to research artificial intelligence and technological systems.

Notable Howard alumni include actress Phylicia Rashad (a former dean at Howard), Vice President Kamala Harris, late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, and the late actor Chadwick Boseman.

Howard isn’t the only HBCU on Forbes’ list of top schools. Hampton University, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College also made the cut.