Cost & aid
What it costs
In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $33,612 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $9.3K more than the national median. The 99% who received grants paid $33,368 on average; the other 1% paid the full sticker price of $54,630.
- Full price
- $54,630 a year
- tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
- Need-based aid
- Little need-based aid above $110K
- aid thins out for families above that income
- Merit aid
- 15% · avg $18K
- of first-years without need got merit aid
Cost by family income
Per year for a typical family of four with one child in college. Up to $110K it is the average price federal aid recipients paid (2023–24).
Hover, tap, or use the arrow keys to read the price at an income.
- Published federal figures
- With an average merit award: $37K · 15% got one. A possibility, not a promise
View as a table
| Family income | Price per year |
|---|---|
| $0–30K | $46K a year |
| $30–48K | $47K a year |
| $48–75K | $50K a year |
| $75–110K | $53K a year |
| $150K | Published data end at $110K |
| $200K | Published data end at $110K |
| $250K | Published data end at $110K |
| $300K | Published data end at $110K |
| $350K | Published data end at $110K |
| $400K and above | Published data end at $110K |
At $150K: Published data end at $110K
Published data end at $110K; use the college's net price calculator for a number.
Your own number depends on the details below, so use the college's calculator for it.
What can change this
- Savings and investments above a typical amount raise the price. The curve assumes typical assets.
$33,612
Tuition, housing, food, books & other expenses, after grants · 2023–24
99% got grants averaging $21,262; 1% got none.
Who pays what
Share of first-year students, 2023–24.
Housing and food use the college's on-campus rates, so the estimate runs high where many students live at home. “Other expenses” is the college's estimate of personal and transportation costs. Loans aren't subtracted because they're repaid.
$57,918 before aid
Tuition, fees, and on-campus food and housing · up 16% from 2023–24.
Show the full next-year estimate
- Tuition, fees, food & housing$57,918
- Books and supplies$1,220
- Transportation$1,154
- Other expenses$2,494
- Total for a student living on campus$62,786
$24.5K
≈ $260/month for 10 years
2.1 yrs
of median salary to cover 4 years of net price
59% of undergrads borrow federally.
Everyone who borrowed and left, whether or not they graduated.
Three years into repayment
Where former undergraduates stand on their federal loans.
- Paid in full4%
- Paying it down11%
- Payments paused46%
- Not paying it down25%
- Behind or in default13%
- Forgiven or discharged0%
Some shares are published as a small range to protect privacy.
Who actually gets aid
Aid generosity
ModerateGrants cover 38% of the $54,630 full price on average across all first-years (moderate), more than at 45% of colleges.
$21,018 in grants per first-year ÷ $54,630 full price.
Who gets grants and scholarships
Full-time first-year students (2,261), 2023–24
Where the aid comes from
Share of first-year students receiving each; averages are per recipient.
Aid by family income
The whole first-year class (2,261)
- Federal aid + grants976avg grant $6.8K
- Grants, no federal aid1,259avg grant $32.5K
- No grants26pay full price
Students with grants but no federal aid usually got the college's own need-based aid (without federal loans or Pell) or merit aid.
By family income: only students who received federal aid (1,622 of 2,261), because income is only reported for them.
From Howard University's Common Data Set
First-years and all full-time undergraduates, 2024–25.
| First-years | All full-time | |
|---|---|---|
| Have financial need | 82%2,251 students | 79%7,764 students |
| Need met, on average | 59% | 50% |
| Need fully met | 10% | 10% |
| Average aid package | $29,925 | $24,323 |
| Average need-based grant | $9,275 | $10,786 |
| Average need-based loan | $4,414 | $3,424 |
| Merit aid without need | 15%average $17,588 | 12%average $17,354 |
| Athletic scholarships | 16average $19,292 | – |
84% of the college's own grant dollars were awarded without regard to need.
Each college decides what a family needs, so “100% of need met” can mean different prices at different colleges. Merit awards that went toward a student's need count as need-based here.
Applying for aid
For fall 2026 entrants.
Priority date: February 1 · Deadline: May 1 · Aid offers: on a rolling basis from February 1 · Reply by: May 1
Dates for fall 2026 entrants; the next cycle's are usually similar.
What the college's own scholarships consider
| Academics | ✓ | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| Alumni connection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Art | ✓ | not marked |
| Athletics | ✓ | not marked |
| Job skills | ✓ | not marked |
| ROTC | ✓ | not marked |
| Leadership | ✓ | ✓ |
| Music or drama | ✓ | not marked |
| Religious affiliation | ✓ | not marked |
| State or district residency | ✓ | not marked |
A blank means the college didn't mark it, not that it never counts.
International students
Need-based and merit aid offered.
International applicants file: International Student's Financial Aid Application.
Sources:IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, 2023–24;College Scorecard, most recent release;Howard University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2026–27;Howard University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2024–25;Howard University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;Howard University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD), 2025–26;Common Data Set, most recent releaseAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)