How many hbcus are there in the us

Delaware State University. University of the District of Columbia. Bethune Cookman University. Albany State University. Fort Valley State University. Kentucky State University. Dillard University. Southern University at New Orleans. Bowie State University. Alcorn State University.

Hinds Community College. Under the plans, substantial progress has been made by many states in desegregation of their state systems of higher education. At the same time, HBCUs continue to be a vital resource in the nation's educational system. Among their accomplishments are the following:. HBCUs have played an historical role in enhancing equal educational opportunity for all students. Fifty percent of black faculty in traditionally white research universities received their bachelor's degrees at an HBCU.

Department of Health and Human Services; and many black political leaders. Today, there are HBCUs with more than , students enrolled. Fifty-six institutions are under private control, and 51 are public colleges and universities. The public institutions account for more than two-thirds of the students in historically black institutions. Most 87 of the institutions are four-year colleges or universities, and 20 are two-year institutions.

In the past, more than 80 percent of all black college graduates have been trained at these HBCUs. Today, HBCUs enroll 20 percent of black undergraduates.

However, HBCUs award 40 percent of baccalaureate degrees earned by black college students. On April 28, , President George Bush issued Executive Order to strengthen the capacity of HBCUs to provide quality education and to increase their participation in federally sponsored programs.

It mandates the taking of positive measures, by federal agencies, to increase the participation of HBCUs, their faculty and students, in federally sponsored programs. It also encourages the private sector to assist HBCUs. This office also coordinates the activities of 27 federal departments and agencies in implementing Executive Order These agencies were selected for participation in the program because they account for 98 percent of federal funds directed to our colleges and universities.

Selecting a college in which to enroll is a very personal choice. However, HBCUs offer a valuable option for minority and nonminority students alike. Some of the factors that make HBCUs attractive include:. Many HBCUs have lower tuition and fees compared to traditionally white institutions. A number also offer a broad spectrum of financial assistance to qualified students and have extensive experience in identifying sources of financial support for deserving students.

Financial assistance may come in the form of scholarships, loans, and grants to cover the cost of tuition, fees, room and board, books, supplies, personal expenses, and transportation. HBCUs often serve students from a wide range of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Students interested in the humanities, or in such areas as sociology, psychology, economics, government, urban planning, etc. Nonresident aliens constitute a large portion of the student enrollment at many HBCUs.

A number of foreign students and professors at HBCUs participate in student or faculty exchange programs. In general, HBCUs aim to be sensitive to the needs of foreign students and provide students an opportunity to associate with different nationalities and to learn about cultural diversities.

Multicultural exposures are expected to become increasingly valuable as the demographics of the American work force change and America competes more aggressively in the world economy. Today many HBCUs have a racially diverse students enrollment at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Also, the majority of HBCUs continue to have a racially diverse faculty and administration. HBCUs are presently more racially desegregated, with respect to their enrollment and staff, than traditionally white institutions. HBCUs may offer a more supportive educational setting for students encountering some difficulty in realizing their full academic potential.

HBCUs generally offer a broad range of effective remedial programs for students. Many HBCUs have established developmental centers, reading laboratories, and expanded tutorial and counseling services to accommodate the special needs of educationally disadvantaged students.

In addition, a strong commitment by many HBCUs to serve all students has resulted in high rates of graduation. Traditionally, the faculties at many HBCUs place as much, or more, emphasis on teaching and student service oriented activities as on research. This permits more time for personal and high quality student-teacher interactions. In addition, many teachers at HBCUs have experience in working with minority students and students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.

Research findings indicate that these factors are important for the academic success of many minority students. As a result of the desegregation plans approved by OCR under Title VI, many state systems of higher education have placed new high demand programs and curricula-such as engineering, pharmacy, and computer science-at HBCUs.

Students considering options in postsecondary education are faced with one of the most difficult and important choices of their lives. Their decisions should lead to informed selections reflecting the broadest possible range of educational opportunities. Reviewers typically work full time in their industry profession and review content for BestColleges as a side project. Our reviewers are members of the Red Ventures Education Freelance Review Network and are paid for their contributions. See a full list of our Review Network contributors.

Historically Black colleges and universities HBCUs were originally established to make quality, accredited higher education available to Black Americans. In the past, these institutions admitted only Black students. Today, HBCUs admit learners regardless of race. They offer a wide spectrum of educational programs and a vibrant, inclusive community life. Many factors go into deciding which college is the right fit. This guide looks at some of the top HBCUs, using a variety of ranking criteria.

It can help prospective students decide which HBCU might be the best place to enroll. HBCUs were first established in the 19th century to provide educational opportunities for Black Americans. Due to slavery and later segregation, Black Americans were denied admission to traditionally white institutions.

The Higher Education Act of defines HBCUs as an accredited higher education institution established prior to whose "principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans. Currently, HBCUs serve more than , students throughout the country. These schools operate as both public and private entities.

Those who attend usually have a preexisting appreciation for Black life and the ways these institutions have protected and sustained them over the last century and beyond. They've demonstrated a real commitment to diversity and closing gaps in wealth and education long before it was in vogue.

As we ranked our list of best historically Black colleges and universities, we considered the following factors:. As you weigh your options based on degree programs, career interests, and affordability, these are important factors to keep in mind when deciding which HBCU to attend. The university enrolls nearly 10, students from more than 70 countries, including several African and Caribbean nations. FAMU is the largest among historically black colleges and universities in the state of Florida.

The university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees through its School of Agriculture and Food Sciences. Fields of study include agribusiness, plant science, entomology and soil and water. FAMU also offers 10 bachelor's degree teaching concentrations through its College of Education, and 13 specialized graduate degree programs through its College of Engineering.

According to the university's Strategic Plan , FAMU strives to 'become a top producer' of African American graduates with degrees in law, health and science, technology, engineering and mathematics STEM fields, and to maintain a diverse and inclusive campus atmosphere. North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University was established in as the Agricultural and Mechanical College for the Colored Race, a land-grant learning institution reserved for African American students. The university is the largest among all agriculture-based HBCU colleges, and produces the second-largest number of agricultural graduates that belong to minority groups.

Graduate students attending the university may also pursue graduate degrees in six different concentration areas through the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering. Additionally, the university offers degrees in four areas of agriculture and environmental science.

Students seeking a STEM-centered education can choose from degrees in fields like computer science, mathematics, military science and biology.

Bowie State also continues its tradition of teacher education by offering a total of eight undergraduate and graduate education degree programs , as well as pathways in educational leadership and school counseling. The university also boasts a relatively low student-to-faculty ratio of Howard, and today the DC-based institution consists of 13 schools and colleges.

More than undergraduate and graduate degree programs are available at Howard. The university's College of Medicine is today recognized as a leading institution doctors and healthcare workers that work with underserved populations, as well as a premier training site for female surgeons.

The Howard University School of Law is also considered a major producer of public service graduates. Howard currently enrolls more than 10, students from all 50 states and nearly 70 countries across the globe.

Additionally, Howard is home to the first African American-owned television station in the U. Originally founded as the Delaware School for Colored Students in , this HBCU institution currently enrolls 4, students and has a student-to-faculty ratio of to The university's most popular major fields of study include accounting, mass communications, movement science, management and psychology.

Additionally, the university offers a unique Africana Studies minor that includes coursework in African American history, literature and politics. The school features a total of 19 program departments and six academic colleges. DSU is considered a top school for Dreamers, or undocumented immigrant students, who have received educational assistance from the Opportunity Scholarship Program.

The university enrolls nearly 50 Opportunity Scholarship students, and was one of two schools nationwide to accept applications from these scholarship recipients.

Additionally, WSSU is the largest producer of black graduates in the fields of nursing, health professions and education. WSSU offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree and certification programs. Most of these pathways are concentrated in the university's College of Arts, Sciences, Business and Education. The WSSU School of Health Sciences also offers programs in fields like clinical laboratory science, exercise physiology and health management, as well as nursing.

Of this HBCU's 5, students, roughly half are first-generation college learners. Students who choose to live on-campus can choose from seven themed residences, including Women in Science and Health, Women Involved in Leadership Development and Live to Serve. Undergraduates at Fayetteville State may earn bachelor's degrees in 12 different fields through the school's College of Arts and Sciences, including criminal justice, biology, psychology and social work. The university's College of Education offers degrees in elementary, middle and high school education, as well as educational leadership and specialized teaching subjects.

Fayetteville State enrolls roughly 6, students each year, and has a student-to-faculty ratio of to The university has a history of supporting students in the military, and today offers online programs tailored to military personnel in fields like sociology, fire science and business administration. Established by Seventh-Day Adventists in to provide educational opportunities for freed slaves, Oakwood University is headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama.

The university was accredited as a junior college in , and 15 years later received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools SACS as a provider of associate and bachelor's degrees. Undergraduates can choose from 58 degree pathways , including faith-based fields like pastoral care and pre-chaplaincy, ministerial theology and religious education.

The university also offers an extensive number of bachelor's programs grounded in STEM and healthcare fields. NCCU is currently home to 13 research institutes that explore areas like homeland security and workforce development, juvenile justice and minority issues. The most popular areas of study for undergraduates at NCCU include criminal justice, family and consumer science and business administration, while the most popular fields for grad students include law, library science and public administration.

The university also offers two dual-degree pathways for students that allow them to earn a bachelor's in physics from NCCU and an engineering bachelor's from North Carolina State University. Founded in and based in Atlanta, Spelman College holds the distinguished title as the oldest private liberal arts college for women to receive HBCU status. Spelman College offers more than 30 major fields of study, including nine humanities and language pathways in fields like dance, documentary filmmaking and photography.

The college is also home to a collaborative curatorial studies program designed to address the underrepresentation of African Americans in museum-oriented occupations. Spelman students can also opt to minor in African Diaspora Studies , which explore history and culture of African people through a gender-informed perspective.

Established by missionaries in as a learning institution for freed slaves and their descendants, Tougaloo College stands on a former slave plantation in the eastern Mississippi city that shares its name.