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What are the best HBCUs in the country?

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The short answer

Spelman College has held the top position in the U.S. News HBCU ranking for years, with Howard University consistently second. Spelman's distinguishing strength is graduate-school output: it is among the leading national producers of Black women who go on to earn STEM doctorates, and it ranks #37 among all national liberal arts colleges rather than only among HBCUs. Spelman enrolls 3,414 undergraduates; Atlanta University Center membership lets those students cross-register at Morehouse, Clark Atlanta and Morehouse School of Medicine, substantially expanding what the college can offer on its own.

The list

  1. 1

    Spelman College

    Atlanta, GA · Private nonprofit · 3,414 undergraduates

    Ranking position

    #1 HBCU · #37 liberal arts · #22 Washington Monthly

    The top-ranked HBCU and a leading national producer of Black women who complete STEM doctorates. A 11:1 ratio with intensive faculty mentorship, a 78.5% six-year graduation rate, plus Atlanta University Center cross-registration.

    Acceptance rate
    24.9%
    Average net price
    $38,967
    Median earnings (10 yr)
    $59,993
    6-yr graduation rate
    78.5%
    Median federal debt
    $25,000
  2. 2

    Howard University

    Washington, DC · Private nonprofit · 10,108 undergraduates

    Ranking position

    Federal: 41.3% admit · 70.0% grad rate

    Historically the #2 HBCU on U.S. News and a major feeder to medical and legal careers. Federal data show 10,108 undergraduates, 90.9% retention and $63,066 median earnings ten years after entry while publisher ranks are being verified for this profile.

    Acceptance rate
    41.3%
    Average net price
    $50,539
    Median earnings (10 yr)
    $63,066
    6-yr graduation rate
    70.0%
    Median federal debt
    $24,500

Frequently asked questions

Spelman College, which has held the #1 position in the U.S. News HBCU ranking for years, followed consistently by Howard University. Spelman's case is stronger than the HBCU ranking alone suggests: it also ranks #37 among all national liberal arts colleges and #22 on Washington Monthly's social-mobility-weighted list, and it is a leading producer of Black women who go on to earn STEM doctorates.

Yes, and the graduate-school data is the clearest evidence. HBCUs enrol a small share of Black undergraduates nationally but produce a disproportionate share of Black graduates who go on to earn doctorates, and of Black physicians, judges and engineers. Spelman specifically is among the top national institutions for producing Black women who complete STEM PhDs, ahead of many far wealthier and more selective universities.

This site tracks roughly 1,900 main-campus institutions, not every HBCU in the country. Spelman, Howard, Morehouse and Clark Atlanta are in the dataset today; Hampton, North Carolina A&T, Xavier University of Louisiana and Florida A&M belong on a fuller HBCU hub once publisher ranks are verified. We name the gap rather than padding the list.

How this list was ordered

Editorial judgement on HBCU reputation and graduate-school placement, cross-checked against U.S. News and Washington Monthly where those publisher positions are loaded. Spelman has full ranking data here; Howard is ordered second on reputation while publisher ranks on that profile are still being verified.

Inclusion criteria

  • Federal designation as a historically Black college or university.
  • Ranked position on at least two of the tracked sources.
  • Documented graduate or professional school placement.
  • Six-year graduation rate above the HBCU sector median.
2 schools comparedUpdated September 1, 2026