Lens covers 50 HBCUs, 28 public and 22 private. They range from Rust College (467 undergraduates) to North Carolina A & T State University (12,182). Acceptance rates run from 21% to 98%, and 32 of the 50 admit at least half of applicants.
HBCUs are historically Black colleges and universities, as designated by the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS).
Open these 50 colleges in the College Filter → Narrow them by cost at your rate, majors, size and more.
The 50 HBCUs
Listed A to Z. Lens never ranks colleges.
| College | Location | Undergraduates | Acceptance rate | Tuition & fees (before aid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama A & M University | Normal, Alabama | 6,124 | 58% | $10,024 in-state · $18,634 out-of-state |
| Alabama State University | Montgomery, Alabama | 3,477 | 98% | $11,248 in-state · $19,576 out-of-state |
| Alcorn State University | Alcorn State, Mississippi | 2,363 | 45% | $8,785 |
| Allen University | Columbia, South Carolina | 576 | 73% | $14,304 |
| Benedict College | Columbia, South Carolina | 1,536 | 96% | $17,440 |
| Bethune-Cookman University | Daytona Beach, Florida | 2,732 | 88% | $14,794 |
| Bowie State University | Bowie, Maryland | 5,043 | 72% | $9,218 in-state · $19,938 out-of-state |
| Claflin University | Orangeburg, South Carolina | 1,706 | 65% | $18,282 |
| Clark Atlanta University | Atlanta, Georgia | 3,603 | 64% | $28,310 |
| Coppin State University | Baltimore, Maryland | 1,844 | 46% | $7,100 in-state · $14,024 out-of-state |
| Delaware State University | Dover, Delaware | 4,398 | 47% | $10,670 in-state · $20,634 out-of-state |
| Dillard University | New Orleans, Louisiana | 1,063 | 42% | $23,918 |
| Edward Waters University | Jacksonville, Florida | 1,087 | 85% | $16,366 |
| Elizabeth City State University | Elizabeth City, North Carolina | 1,975 | 64% | $6,536 in-state · $10,536 out-of-state |
| Fayetteville State University | Fayetteville, North Carolina | 5,762 | 82% | $4,353 in-state · $8,353 out-of-state |
| Fisk University | Nashville, Tennessee | 1,035 | 37% | $25,858 |
| Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Tallahassee, Florida | 7,582 | 21% | $5,785 in-state · $17,725 out-of-state |
| Florida Memorial University | Miami Gardens, Florida | 1,183 | 85% | $20,174 |
| Fort Valley State University | Fort Valley, Georgia | 2,684 | 66% | $5,526 in-state · $16,932 out-of-state |
| Grambling State University | Grambling, Louisiana | 4,164 | 45% | $7,683 in-state · $16,706 out-of-state |
| Hampton University | Hampton, Virginia | 3,727 | 62% | $30,592 |
| Howard University | Washington, District of Columbia | 10,108 | 41% | $35,810 |
| Huston-Tillotson University | Austin, Texas | 1,005 | 39% | $26,709 |
| Jackson State University | Jackson, Mississippi | 4,600 | 93% | $8,965 in-state · $11,965 out-of-state |
| Johnson C Smith University | Charlotte, North Carolina | 1,244 | 45% | $21,300 |
| Lincoln University | Lincoln University, Pennsylvania | 1,539 | 66% | $12,512 in-state · $19,384 out-of-state |
| Livingstone College | Salisbury, North Carolina | 924 | 59% | $18,296 |
| Morehouse College | Atlanta, Georgia | 2,844 | 44% | $32,893 |
| Morgan State University | Baltimore, Maryland | 9,019 | 82% | $8,229 in-state · $19,124 out-of-state |
| Norfolk State University | Norfolk, Virginia | 5,392 | 88% | $10,180 in-state · $21,682 out-of-state |
| North Carolina A & T State University | Greensboro, North Carolina | 12,182 | 50% | $6,813 in-state · $20,673 out-of-state |
| North Carolina Central University | Durham, North Carolina | 6,081 | 87% | $6,699 in-state · $19,735 out-of-state |
| Prairie View A & M University | Prairie View, Texas | 8,877 | 79% | $11,299 in-state · $26,874 out-of-state |
| Rust College | Holly Springs, Mississippi | 467 | 49% | $13,265 |
| Shaw University | Raleigh, North Carolina | 875 | 80% | $17,538 |
| South Carolina State University | Orangeburg, South Carolina | 2,934 | 83% | $11,060 in-state · $21,750 out-of-state |
| Southern University and A & M College | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | 5,519 | 35% | $9,922 in-state · $17,272 out-of-state |
| Southern University at New Orleans | New Orleans, Louisiana | 1,055 | 79% | $8,054 in-state · $16,954 out-of-state |
| Spelman College | Atlanta, Georgia | 3,414 | 25% | $31,556 |
| Talladega College | Talladega, Alabama | 701 | 85% | $15,650 |
| Tennessee State University | Nashville, Tennessee | 4,848 | 70% | $8,616 in-state · $22,416 out-of-state |
| Texas Southern University | Houston, Texas | 6,844 | 97% | $9,173 in-state · $21,473 out-of-state |
| Tuskegee University | Tuskegee, Alabama | 2,630 | 49% | $25,386 |
| University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | Pine Bluff, Arkansas | 1,807 | 41% | $9,412 in-state · $17,992 out-of-state |
| University of Maryland Eastern Shore | Princess Anne, Maryland | 2,391 | 96% | $9,076 in-state · $20,122 out-of-state |
| Virginia State University | Petersburg, Virginia | 5,074 | 89% | $10,043 in-state · $22,650 out-of-state |
| West Virginia State University | Institute, West Virginia | 1,321 | 96% | $9,570 in-state · $14,990 out-of-state |
| Wilberforce University | Wilberforce, Ohio | 822 | 40% | $16,448 |
| Winston-Salem State University | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | 4,170 | 78% | $6,126 in-state · $16,782 out-of-state |
| Xavier University of Louisiana | New Orleans, Louisiana | 2,628 | 69% | $28,733 |
Sources: IPEDS (fall 2024 enrollment and admissions); College Scorecard (published tuition and fees before aid, about 2023–24). You may pay less if receiving grants or scholarships.
Related lists
FAQ
Which HBCUs admit at least half of applicants? 32 of the 50: Alabama A & M University, Alabama State University, Allen University, Benedict College, Bethune-Cookman University, Bowie State University, Claflin University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Florida Memorial University and 20 more (fall 2024).
What are the largest and smallest HBCUs? North Carolina A & T State University is the largest, with 12,182 undergraduates, and Rust College is the smallest, with 467 (fall 2024).
How many HBCUs are public? 28 of the 50 are public and 22 are private.
Where these numbers come from
Lens covers the 850 four-year public and private nonprofit colleges that receive the most applications, so some smaller colleges are not listed. Enrollment, acceptance rates and degrees come from IPEDS (U.S. Department of Education, fall 2024); published prices from the College Scorecard. Each college's page lists its own sources. See the data behind Lens.