HBCUs
These are the HBCUs in our dataset, sorted by six-year graduation rate. 19 of the 354 colleges in our dataset qualify for this list, and colleges with a missing value for the fields used here are left out rather than guessed. The table below shows the top 19, led by Spelman College (Georgia).
Across all 19 qualifying colleges the graduation rate runs from 12.0% (Wilberforce University) to 78.5% (Spelman College), with a median of 40.4%. For comparison, the median across the 353 colleges in the full dataset that report it is 73.1%.
| # | College | State | Graduation rate | Acceptance rate | Net price | Undergrads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spelman College | GA | 78.5% | 24.9% | $38,967 | 3,414 |
| 2 | Howard University | DC | 70.0% | 41.3% | $50,539 | 10,108 |
| 3 | Morehouse College | GA | 59.4% | 44.0% | $39,013 | 2,844 |
| 4 | Alcorn State University | MS | 57.4% | 45.3% | $13,265 | 2,363 |
| 5 | North Carolina A & T State University | NC | 57.2% | 49.9% | $10,846 | 12,182 |
| 6 | Tuskegee University | AL | 55.0% | 48.7% | $35,013 | 2,630 |
| 7 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | FL | 53.3% | 20.6% | $13,739 | 7,582 |
| 8 | Oakwood University | AL | 44.6% | 45.2% | $25,669 | 1,153 |
| 9 | Dillard University | LA | 43.3% | 41.9% | $22,094 | 1,063 |
| 10 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | AR | 40.4% | 41.2% | $12,653 | 1,807 |
| 11 | Delaware State University | DE | 39.1% | 46.6% | $13,910 | 4,398 |
| 12 | Grambling State University | LA | 36.2% | 44.9% | $19,809 | 4,164 |
| 13 | Johnson C Smith University | NC | 34.3% | 45.2% | $20,894 | 1,244 |
| 14 | Huston-Tillotson University | TX | 33.9% | 39.1% | $19,719 | 1,005 |
| 15 | Fisk University | TN | 29.9% | 37.4% | $32,020 | 1,035 |
| 16 | Southern University and A & M College | LA | 27.1% | 35.1% | $20,077 | 5,519 |
| 17 | Paul Quinn College | TX | 26.9% | 40.3% | $12,709 | 620 |
| 18 | Coppin State University | MD | 26.2% | 45.8% | $9,977 | 1,844 |
| 19 | Wilberforce University | OH | 12.0% | 40.5% | $5,567 | 822 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution, May 2026 release (file published 2026-05-26). Data fetched 2026-10-14. Open any row for the full college profile.
Of the 19 qualifying colleges, 8 are public and 11 are private nonprofit. Within the table, Louisiana appears 3 times, Georgia appears 2 times, North Carolina appears 2 times. The median acceptance rate among the 19 listed colleges that report it is 41.9%, against 44.6% for the whole dataset. The median net price among the 19 listed colleges that report it is $19,809, against $19,857 for the whole dataset. 13 of the 19 listed colleges report an SAT range, and the midpoints of those ranges have a median near 1000.
HBCU status comes from the federal Scorecard. Our dataset covers four-year colleges with at least 500 undergraduates, and only some are HBCUs, so this is not a list of every HBCU. Rows are sorted by graduation rate.
Each column in the table means the following.
A graduation rate reflects a college's students and resources as much as its teaching. HBCUs often enroll many first-generation and Pell-eligible students, which is why the cost and graduation columns are worth reading together.
To see how your own score compares, read what a 1000 SAT or a 22 ACT means for a college list, then check college costs by state for price context.
Spelman College is first on this list, with graduation rate of 78.5%. It leads 19 qualifying colleges in the dataset, so check what the number measures before treating it as a recommendation.
19 of the 354 colleges in our dataset qualify, and the table shows the top 19. Colleges with a missing value are excluded.
No. The list sorts on one number. It does not measure teaching, fit, program strength or what you would pay, so use it to find colleges to look at and then check each profile and the college's own website.
Colleges are drawn from the 354-college dataset built from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (May 2026 release (file published 2026-05-26); fetched 2026-10-14). Selection: Four-year public and private nonprofit colleges with at least 500 undergraduates: every college admitting 55% or fewer applicants, plus the 150 largest by undergraduate enrollment. Colleges that do not report test ranges are included with ranges shown as not reported. Reporting periods for the fields on this page: AcadYr 2021-22; Fall 2016 or AcadYr 2016-17 entry cohort, as applicable; Fall 2022. Full definitions are on the methodology page, and the numbers are available as an open download.
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