- Acceptance rate: 41% for fall 2024
- Average high school GPA: 3.68, as reported by the college for 2025–26
- SAT, middle 50%: 560–670 reading and writing, 530–650 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 22–28 composite
- Average net price: $30,028 a year (2022–23)
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How does your GPA compare?
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Where you standEnter your GPA
Type your GPA to compare it with what Howard University reported: an average GPA of 3.68 (2025–26), an acceptance rate of 41% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 22–28.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Howard University reviews each application.
Howard University average GPA
Howard University reported an average high school GPA of 3.68 for its first-year students who submitted one (100% did), in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether it's weighted or unweighted.
How their high school GPAs were spread:
| High school GPA | Share of first-year students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | |
| 3.75–3.99 | |
| 3.50–3.74 | |
| 3.25–3.49 | |
| 3.00–3.24 | |
| 2.50–2.99 |
An average, not a cutoffColleges calculate GPA in different ways, so these figures can't be compared directly with your own GPA.
Howard University acceptance rate
Howard University admitted 14,144 of 34,211 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 41%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Howard University is a private nonprofit 4-year university in Washington, District of Columbia, with 11,519 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Howard University in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading and Writing | 560 | 620 | 670 |
| SAT Math | 530 | 590 | 650 |
| ACT Composite | 22 | 25 | 28 |
| ACT English | 21 | 25 | 29 |
| ACT Math | 18 | 23 | 26 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1213 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Howard University looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Required |
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Required |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Required |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Required |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Considered if submitted |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Considered if submitted |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Considered if submitted |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Considered if submitted |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
AP credit
Howard University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It doesn't award credit for life experience.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $30,028 a year at Howard University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
How hard is it to get into Howard University?
Selective: fewer than half of applicants got in. Howard University admitted 41% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
What SAT and ACT scores do Howard University students have?
The middle 50% of Howard University's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 560–670 in reading and writing and 530–650 in math; ACT composite 22–28, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
Can I get into Howard University with a 3.5 GPA?
It would be on the low side there: 20% of Howard University's first-year students who submitted a GPA had one below 3.5, as the college reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set, and it admitted 41% of applicants for fall 2024. Colleges calculate GPA in different ways, so compare on the same scale and look at your courses and test scores too.
How important is GPA for getting into Howard University?
A lot: Howard University requires high school GPA, high school record, college preparatory program, recommendations and essay or personal statement. It considers high school class rank, test scores, demonstration of competencies, work experience and legacy status if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
What is the acceptance rate at Howard University?
Howard University's acceptance rate was 41% for fall 2024: it admitted 14,144 of 34,211 first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Does Howard University require the SAT or ACT?
No. Howard University is test optional: it considers SAT or ACT scores if you send them, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 23% sent SAT scores and 9% sent ACT scores.
What GPA does Howard University look for?
Howard University doesn't set a minimum GPA we could verify. Its first-year students averaged 3.68, as reported by the college in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether that average is weighted or unweighted.
What GPA do most Howard University students have?
80% of Howard University's first-year students who submitted a high school GPA had 3.50 or higher, and the largest group (43%) had 3.75–3.99, as the college reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether these GPAs are weighted or unweighted.
What is the average net price at Howard University?
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $30,028 a year at Howard University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Does Howard University give credit for AP exams?
Yes. Howard University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
Before you apply, check Howard University's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Howard UniversityU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
- Howard University Common Data Set 2025–26Howard University: average high school GPA of first-year students and how their GPAs were spread.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
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With a similar acceptance rate and size.
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