Written by Amanda Push via Student Loan Hero

For some students, attending a historically Black college or university (HBCU) in the U.S. aligns with their personal and professional goals. However, as both the inflation rate and cost-of-living expenses increase, affording rising tuition can be a challenge for many students and families.

To learn more about the affordability of HBCUs, Student Loan Hero researchers dug into U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data, using average annual net cost to determine which schools are the most and least affordable. Net cost includes expenses such as tuition, room, board and books, while accounting for grants and scholarships.

Coahoma Community College in Mississippi is the cheapest HBCU, while Spelman College in Atlanta is the least affordable, according to the findings. Here’s more about the cost of HBCUs.

Key findings

  • Coahoma Community College is the most affordable HBCU. The average annual net cost to attend the two-year public school in Clarksdale, Miss., is $1,004. The No. 2 college — Elizabeth City State University, a four-year public school in North Carolina — has a net cost more than double that, at $2,350.
  • Spelman College is the least affordable HBCU. The average annual net cost to attend the four-year private Atlanta school is $43,843. Only one other school — Howard University, a four-year private school in Washington, D.C. — has a net cost above $40,000.
  • Denmark Technical College graduates have the lowest median student loan debt among HBCUs. Students graduate from the two-year public South Carolina school with an average of $9,000 in debt. Meanwhile, students at American Baptist College — a four-year private school in Nashville, Tenn. — leave school with the highest median student loan debt at $41,000.
  • Only two HBCUs — Clinton College and Spelman College — see at least 75% of their students graduate within 150% of normal time. For Clinton College — a two-year private school in Rock Hill, S.C. — that typically means graduating within three years. At Spelman, that usually means graduating within six years.

Most and least affordable HBCUs

Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale, Miss., is the most affordable HBCU in the U.S. This two-year public school has a net cost of $1,004, less than half that of the next college — Elizabeth City State University, a four-year public school in North Carolina — at $2,350.

Among the five most affordable HBCUs, four are public institutions. Of those five, four are two-year schools, while just one is a four-year college. In fact, most of the institutions at the top of the list are public schools — a mix of two-year and four-year colleges — with private ones appearing periodically. Meanwhile, private schools dominate the bottom of the list.

In particular, Spelman College, a four-year private institute in Atlanta, is the least affordable HBCU, with a net cost of $43,843. Spelman was followed closely by Howard University in Washington, D.C. Howard — also a four-year private institute — has a net cost of $41,289.

The most expensive two-year institution is Virginia University of Lynchburg. This private school has a net cost of $22,042.

Most — and least — affordable HBCUs
Rank HBCU City State Institution type Net cost
1 Coahoma Community College Clarksdale MS 2-year public $1,004
2 Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City NC 4-year public $2,350
3 Simmons College of Kentucky Louisville KY 2-year private $3,394
4 J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College Huntsville AL 2-year public $3,589
5 Gadsden State Community College Gadsden AL 2-year public $4,427
6 Bishop State Community College Mobile AL 2-year public $4,976
7 Fayetteville State University Fayetteville NC 4-year public $5,899
8 Shelton State Community College Tuscaloosa AL 2-year public $6,217
9 St. Philip’s College San Antonio TX 2-year public $6,250
10 H. Councill Trenholm State Community College Montgomery AL 2-year public $6,723
11 Kentucky State University Frankfort KY 4-year public $7,076
12 Southern University at New Orleans New Orleans LA 4-year public $7,632
13 Cheyney University of Pennsylvania Cheyney PA 4-year public $7,656
14 Lincoln University Jefferson City MO 4-year public $7,830
15 Southwestern Christian College Terrell TX 4-year private $7,928
16 Lawson State Community College Birmingham AL 2-year public $8,039
17 Bluefield State College Bluefield WV 4-year public $8,367
18 Southern University at Shreveport Shreveport LA 2-year public $8,878
19 LeMoyne-Owen College Memphis TN 4-year private $9,109
20 Selma University Selma AL 4-year private $9,229
21 Savannah State University Savannah GA 4-year public $10,220
22 North Carolina A&T State University Greensboro NC 4-year public $10,274
23 Central State University Wilberforce OH 4-year public $10,451
24 University of the Virgin Islands Charlotte Amalie VI 4-year public $10,489
25 Harris-Stowe State University Saint Louis MO 4-year public $10,551
26 Rust College Holly Springs MS 4-year private $11,317
27 Coppin State University Baltimore MD 4-year public $11,686
28 Langston University Langston OK 4-year public $12,131
29 Winston-Salem State University Winston-Salem NC 4-year public $12,286
30 University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Pine Bluff AR 4-year public $12,320
31 Tennessee State University Nashville TN 4-year public $12,443
32 Norfolk State University Norfolk VA 4-year public $12,645
33 Edward Waters College Jacksonville FL 4-year private $12,653
34 Lane College Jackson TN 4-year private $12,966
35 Albany State University Albany GA 4-year public $12,992
36 Delaware State University Dover DE 4-year public $12,995
37 Paine College Augusta GA 4-year private $13,072
38 Denmark Technical College Denmark SC 2-year public $13,440
39 Fort Valley State University Fort Valley GA 4-year public $13,650
40 Alabama State University Montgomery AL 4-year public $13,650
41 Shorter College North Little Rock AR 2-year private $13,747
42 Paul Quinn College Dallas TX 4-year private $13,951
43 Texas College Tyler TX 4-year private $14,088
44 Philander Smith College Little Rock AR 4-year private $14,141
45 Jarvis Christian College Hawkins TX 4-year private $14,152
46 Benedict College Columbia SC 4-year private $14,291
47 Miles College Fairfield AL 4-year private $14,303
48 Allen University Columbia SC 4-year private $14,306
49 West Virginia State University Institute WV 4-year public $14,408
50 Jackson State University Jackson MS 4-year public $14,484
51 Prairie View A&M University Prairie View TX 4-year public $14,582
52 Tougaloo College Tougaloo MS 4-year private $14,609
53 North Carolina Central University Durham NC 4-year public $14,732
54 Alcorn State University Alcorn State MS 4-year public $14,836
55 Alabama A&M University Normal AL 4-year public $14,990
56 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Tallahassee FL 4-year public $15,060
57 Clinton College Rock Hill SC 4-year private $15,393
58 Talladega College Talladega AL 4-year private $15,661
59 Wilberforce University Wilberforce OH 4-year private $15,684
60 University of the District of Columbia Washington DC 4-year public $15,894
61 Bowie State University Bowie MD 4-year public $15,934
62 Morris College Sumter SC 4-year private $16,105
63 Southern University and A&M College Baton Rouge LA 4-year public $16,312
64 Mississippi Valley State University Itta Bena MS 4-year public $16,394
65 Huston-Tillotson University Austin TX 4-year private $16,775
66 Virginia State University Petersburg VA 4-year public $16,970
67 University of Maryland Eastern Shore Princess Anne MD 4-year public $16,980
68 Bethune-Cookman University Daytona Beach FL 4-year private $16,995
69 Voorhees College Denmark SC 4-year private $17,113
70 Dillard University New Orleans LA 4-year private $17,128
71 Morgan State University Baltimore MD 4-year public $17,619
72 Florida Memorial University Miami Gardens FL 4-year private $17,625
73 Wiley College Marshall TX 4-year private $17,666
74 Lincoln University Lincoln University PA 4-year public $17,731
75 Livingstone College Salisbury NC 4-year private $18,006
76 Claflin University Orangeburg SC 4-year private $18,136
77 Stillman College Tuscaloosa AL 4-year private $18,352
78 Grambling State University Grambling LA 4-year public $18,516
79 Saint Augustine’s University Raleigh NC 4-year private $18,596
80 Arkansas Baptist College Little Rock AR 4-year private $19,029
81 Johnson C. Smith University Charlotte NC 4-year private $19,220
82 Shaw University Raleigh NC 4-year private $19,244
83 Texas Southern University Houston TX 4-year public $19,430
84 American Baptist College Nashville TN 4-year private $19,581
85 Xavier University of Louisiana New Orleans LA 4-year private $19,715
86 South Carolina State University Orangeburg SC 4-year public $20,795
87 Bennett College Greensboro NC 4-year private $21,356
88 Virginia Union University Richmond VA 4-year private $21,813
89 Virginia University of Lynchburg Lynchburg VA 2-year private $22,042
90 Fisk University Nashville TN 4-year private $24,225
91 Oakwood University Huntsville AL 4-year private $24,274
92 Hampton University Hampton VA 4-year private $31,307
93 Morehouse College Atlanta GA 4-year private $31,327
94 Clark Atlanta University Atlanta GA 4-year private $34,263
95 Tuskegee University Tuskegee AL 4-year private $34,575
96 Howard University Washington DC 4-year private $41,289
97 Spelman College Atlanta GA 4-year private $43,843
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Looking to leave school with less than $20,000 in debt? Consider these 5 HBCUs

According to our latest student loan debt statistics update, students in the class of 2020 graduated with an average of $28,400 in federal and private debtHowever, attending an HBCU and walking away with less than $20,000 in debt is possible.

Five HBCUs have a median student loan debt among graduates of less than $20,000:

  • Denmark Technical College
    • Median debt: $9,000
    • Net cost: $13,440
    • Institution type: 2-year public
  • Southwestern Christian College
    • Median debt: $9,561
    • Net cost: $7,928
    • Institution type: 4-year private
  • St. Philip’s College
    • Median debt: $10,500
    • Net cost: $6,250
    • Institution type: 2-year public
  • University of the Virgin Islands
    • Median debt: $15,750
    • Net cost: $10,489
    • Institution type: 4-year public
  • Southern University at Shreveport
    • Median debt: $17,250
    • Net cost: $8,878
    • Institution type: 2-year public

On the other hand, many HBCUs have students who graduate with rather large median debts. Across the 88 HBCUs researchers examined (based on available data), 50 had students graduate with a median debt greater than the average across the schools of $28,288.

American Baptist College — a four-year private school in Nashville, Tenn. — and Virginia University of Lynchburg — a two-year private school — had the largest median debt totals among the HBCUs. Both schools are also among the 14 with the highest net cost.

  • American Baptist College
    • Median debt: $41,000
    • Net cost: $19,581
    • Institution type: 4-year private
  • Virginia University of Lynchburg
    • Median debt: $40,429
    • Net cost: $22,042
    • Institution type: 2-year private

When choosing between a public and private school, Student Loan Hero senior writer Andrew Pentis recommends that students consider the factors that vary the most between the two.

Variables such as tuition, class, campus size and academic program options can swing widely. For instance, a public college is typically much less expensive to attend than a private university. And while a private school might have smaller class sizes, it might also feature less diversity on campus.

“Students who aren’t sure what they want to study might like the idea of attending a larger school, whether it’s public or private, to give them a wider array of degree programs to consider, plus a larger faculty and staff to lean on for support,” Pentis says. “At the end of the day, students should find out which schools suit them best instead of limiting their search to either public or private.”

Median student loan debt among graduates at HBCUs
Rank HBCU Median debt Rank HBCU Median debt
1 Denmark Technical College $9,000 45 Jarvis Christian College $29,406
2 Southwestern Christian College $9,561 46 Morgan State University $29,473
3 St. Philip’s College $10,500 47 Texas Southern University $29,531
4 University of the Virgin Islands $15,750 48 Lincoln University (Missouri) $29,750
5 Southern University at Shreveport $17,250 49 Alcorn State University $30,385
6 Bluefield State College $20,500 50 Miles College $30,444
7 Clinton College $20,750 51 Jackson State University $30,488
8 Wilberforce University $21,129 52 Virginia Union University $30,500
9 Bowie State University $22,750 53 North Carolina Central University $30,569
10 Fayetteville State University $23,208 54 Oakwood University $30,676
11 West Virginia State University $23,269 55 Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) $30,855
12 University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff $23,553 56 Claflin University $30,931
13 Coppin State University $24,076 57 Savannah State University $31,000
14 LeMoyne-Owen College $24,250 58 Southern University and A&M College $31,000
15 Xavier University of Louisiana $24,500 59 Mississippi Valley State University $31,000
16 Philander Smith College $25,000 60 Bennett College $31,000
17 Howard University $25,000 61 Johnson C. Smith University $31,000
18 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University $25,000 62 Central State University $31,000
19 Elizabeth City State University $25,000 63 South Carolina State University $31,000
20 Winston-Salem State University $25,000 64 Texas College $31,000
21 Wiley College $25,000 65 Norfolk State University $31,000
22 Arkansas Baptist College $25,250 66 Southern University at New Orleans $31,031
23 Shorter College $25,250 67 Harris-Stowe State University $31,688
24 Morehouse College $25,250 68 Morris College $31,775
25 Cheyney University of Pennsylvania $25,500 69 Talladega College $31,990
26 University of the District of Columbia $25,889 70 Alabama State University $32,000
27 Delaware State University $26,000 71 Dillard University $32,000
28 Spelman College $26,000 72 Stillman College $32,500
29 Fisk University $26,000 73 Allen University $32,530
30 Hampton University $26,000 74 Bethune-Cookman University $32,750
31 Albany State University $27,000 75 Florida Memorial University $33,000
32 Clark Atlanta University $27,000 76 Alabama A&M University $33,375
33 University of Maryland Eastern Shore $27,000 77 Fort Valley State University $33,560
34 Rust College $27,000 78 Tougaloo College $34,037
35 Voorhees College $27,000 79 Selma University $34,300
36 Tennessee State University $27,000 80 Shaw University $34,315
37 North Carolina A&T State University $27,706 81 Paine College $34,949
38 Langston University $27,949 82 Livingstone College $35,000
39 Huston-Tillotson University $28,456 83 Saint Augustine’s University $35,000
40 Kentucky State University $28,504 84 Lane College $35,063
41 Edward Waters College $29,000 85 Benedict College $36,000
42 Prairie View A&M University $29,000 86 Grambling State University $37,192
43 Virginia State University $29,000 87 Virginia University of Lynchburg $40,429
44 Tuskegee University $29,090 88 American Baptist College $41,000
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Note: HBCUs with incomplete information were excluded.

Where 75% of HBCU students graduate within 150% of normal time

Before going into this statistic, it’s important to know what this means — and why it matters. Graduation rates within 150% of normal time are calculated using factors such as the number of students seeking a degree and completion rates.

For example, for a student seeking a bachelor’s degree at a four-year college, 150% of normal time is usually six years. On the other hand, for a student getting an associate degree, this would mean 150% of normal time is typically three years.

Knowing this information about an institution can give you an idea of how long it may take you to finish your degree at this school.

Among the HBCUs studied, only two schools had 75% of their students graduate within 150% of normal time.

  • Clinton College: 75.6%
    • Institution type: 4-year private
    • Location: Rock Hill, S.C.
  • Spelman College: 75.1%
    • Institution type: 4-year private
    • Location: Atlanta

This was a bit surprising, according to Pentis, as Spelman College was considered the least affordable school in the study with a net cost of $43,843. While Clinton College was significantly less expensive with a net cost of $15,393, it was still in the bottom half of most expensive HBCUs.

“In some ways, one would think higher-priced schools would have lower graduation rates because affordability can inhibit a student’s chances of staying in school and on track for their degree,” Pentis says.

However, schools like Clinton and Spelman have ways to circumvent that reality, such as offering significant financial aid that doesn’t need to be repaid. Spelman, for example, offers a variety of institutional scholarships that cover partial or full tuition costs, with some assistance lasting for as many as four years.

Pentis also points out that higher-priced, more prestigious HBCUs might attract families with deeper pockets.

“These schools might have higher graduation rates, in part, because many of their students went to very good high schools that prepared them for the rigors of college, or perhaps they come from families with multiple generations of college graduates who offer students a great support system for excelling in school,” Pentis said.

HBCU graduation rates within 150% of normal time
Rank HBCU Graduation rate Rank HBCU Graduation rate
1 Clinton College 75.6% 49 West Virginia State University 30.8%
2 Spelman College 75.1% 50 St Philip’s College 30.8%
3 Howard University 65.0% 51 Bluefield State College 30.5%
4 Bennett College 63.4% 52 Alabama A&M University 29.7%
5 Hampton University 59.8% 53 Savannah State University 29.4%
6 Morehouse College 54.2% 54 Virginia Union University 28.6%
7 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University 52.6% 55 Central State University 28.2%
8 Tuskegee University 51.9% 56 Rust College 28.1%
9 Xavier University of Louisiana 51.5% 57 Huston-Tillotson University 27.8%
10 Claflin University 51.3% 58 Bishop State Community College 27.6%
11 Winston-Salem State University 51.2% 59 Stillman College 27.2%
12 Oakwood University 51.0% 60 Lincoln University (Missouri) 26.8%
13 North Carolina A&T State University 50.9% 61 Edward Waters College 26.5%
14 Dillard University 50.7% 62 Southwestern Christian College 26.4%
15 Tougaloo College 50.3% 63 Cheyney University of Pennsylvania 26.2%
16 Fisk University 50.2% 64 Coppin State University 25.5%
17 North Carolina Central University 49.2% 65 Kentucky State University 25.4%
18 Johnson C. Smith University 49.1% 66 Morris College 25.3%
19 Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) 47.4% 67 Gadsden State Community College 25.0%
20 Clark Atlanta University 44.3% 68 Miles College 25.0%
21 Philander Smith College 43.7% 69 Benedict College 24.5%
22 Bowie State University 43.4% 70 Livingstone College 23.8%
23 Morgan State University 43.3% 71 Albany State University 23.2%
24 Delaware State University 41.6% 72 Texas Southern University 23.1%
25 Voorhees College 41.3% 73 Allen University 22.4%
26 University of Maryland Eastern Shore 41.1% 74 Lane College 22.2%
27 Alcorn State University 40.9% 75 Southern University at New Orleans 21.2%
28 Southern University and A&M College 40.9% 76 H. Councill Trenholm State Community College 20.9%
29 Elizabeth City State University 38.5% 77 Wilberforce University 20.3%
30 Virginia State University 38.5% 78 Denmark Technical College 20.0%
31 Jackson State University 38.1% 79 Shelton State Community College 19.7%
32 Florida Memorial University 36.4% 80 Paul Quinn College 19.6%
33 Prairie View A&M University 35.9% 81 Lawson State Community College 19.5%
34 Norfolk State University 35.8% 82 Langston University 17.7%
35 Wiley College 35.7% 83 Shaw University 17.0%
36 South Carolina State University 35.2% 84 Harris-Stowe State University 17.0%
37 Grambling State University 35.1% 85 Saint Augustine’s University 16.4%
38 Fort Valley State University 35.0% 86 LeMoyne-Owen College 14.2%
39 Fayetteville State University 34.3% 87 J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College 13.8%
40 Talladega College 34.0% 88 University of the District of Columbia 12.9%
41 University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 33.5% 89 Paine College 12.7%
42 American Baptist College 33.3% 90 Texas College 12.4%
43 Coahoma Community College 32.9% 91 Jarvis Christian College 11.0%
44 Bethune-Cookman University 32.8% 92 Southern University at Shreveport 10.7%
45 Alabama State University 32.8% 93 Shorter College 9.5%
46 Mississippi Valley State University 31.8% 94 Arkansas Baptist College 7.8%
47 Tennessee State University 31.7% 95 Virginia University of Lynchburg 5.3%
48 University of the Virgin Islands 31.2% 96 Selma University 1.8%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Notes: For full-time undergraduates seeking bachelor’s degrees, 150% of normal time is typically six years. For full-time undergraduates seeking associate degrees, it’s typically three years. HBCUs with incomplete information were excluded.

3 years after entering repayment, these HBCUs have the biggest groups paying down student loan debt

Another important factor to understand when looking at HBCUs is repayment rates.

This is defined as the percentage of student borrowers that haven’t defaulted on their loans and are making repayments. This rate is typically measured at the one-, three-, five- and seven-year marks after students start paying their loans.

Student Loan Hero researchers found that the schools with the highest repayment rates after three years are generally four-year public or private institutions. According to the data, the following schools had repayment rates above 60% after three years:

  • Dillard University: 69.1%
    • Institution type: 4-year private
    • Net cost: $17,128
  • Southern University at New Orleans: 68.3%
    • Institution type: 4-year public
    • Net cost: $7,632
  • Xavier University of Louisiana: 66.4%
    • Institution type: 4-year private
    • Net cost: $19,715
  • Southern University and A&M College: 65.2%
    • Institution type: 4-year public
    • Net cost: $16,312
  • Tuskegee University: 62.2%
    • Institution type: 4-year private
    • Net cost: $34,575
Repayment rates among HBCUs
Rank HBCU Repayment rate Rank HBCU Repayment rate
1 Dillard University 69.1% 41 Saint Augustine’s University 43.8%
2 Southern University at New Orleans 68.3% 42 Wiley College 43.7%
3 Xavier University of Louisiana 66.4% 43 Kentucky State University 43.5%
4 Southern University and A&M College 65.2% 44 Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) 43.5%
5 Tuskegee University 62.2% 45 South Carolina State University 43.3%
6 University of the Virgin Islands 59.3% 46 Alabama A&M University 42.9%
7 Lincoln University (Missouri) 59.0% 47 Cheyney University of Pennsylvania 42.9%
8 Fisk University 56.9% 48 Virginia State University 38.2%
9 Bluefield State College 56.7% 49 Fayetteville State University 37.8%
10 Southern University at Shreveport 56.5% 50 Virginia Union University 37.8%
11 Grambling State University 56.2% 51 Bennett College 37.4%
12 University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 55.3% 52 Norfolk State University 37.3%
13 Alcorn State University 54.1% 53 Claflin University 37.0%
14 Hampton University 53.1% 54 Alabama State University 36.6%
15 North Carolina A&T State University 51.8% 55 Elizabeth City State University 36.4%
16 Jackson State University 51.6% 56 Morgan State University 36.0%
17 St Philip’s College 51.3% 57 Stillman College 35.8%
18 Spelman College 50.8% 58 University of Maryland Eastern Shore 35.6%
19 Harris-Stowe State University 50.7% 59 Jarvis Christian College 35.5%
20 Huston-Tillotson University 50.6% 60 Texas College 33.6%
21 Tougaloo College 50.5% 61 Savannah State University 32.5%
22 Mississippi Valley State University 50.2% 62 Bethune-Cookman University 32.2%
23 Langston University 49.5% 63 Central State University 32.1%
24 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University 49.5% 64 Johnson C. Smith University 31.9%
25 Prairie View A&M University 48.8% 65 Fort Valley State University 31.7%
26 Texas Southern University 48.8% 66 North Carolina Central University 31.6%
27 Tennessee State University 48.7% 67 Rust College 30.0%
28 Philander Smith College 48.6% 68 Shaw University 29.2%
29 Arkansas Baptist College 48.1% 69 Paine College 28.6%
30 University of the District of Columbia 47.3% 70 Albany State University 27.6%
31 West Virginia State University 47.2% 71 Florida Memorial University 27.0%
32 Coppin State University 46.1% 72 Edward Waters College 26.4%
33 Oakwood University 46.0% 73 Voorhees College 26.0%
34 Wilberforce University 45.9% 74 Miles College 25.8%
35 Morehouse College 45.5% 75 Livingstone College 25.6%
36 Clark Atlanta University 45.1% 76 Benedict College 24.3%
37 Delaware State University 45.1% 77 Allen University 22.9%
38 Howard University 44.8% 78 Morris College 22.0%
39 Winston-Salem State University 44.3% 79 Denmark Technical College 19.2%
40 Bowie State University 43.9% 80 Lane College 18.4%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Notes: The repayment rate is measured at three years after entering repayment. HBCUs with incomplete information were excluded.

Finding the right HBCU

Because there are various factors to consider, finding the right HBCU fit can be challenging.

“Students and their families tend to focus their attention on schools instead of themselves, even getting dreamy-eyed about particular colleges or universities, whether because of their prestigious reputations, city locations or sports teams,” Pentis says.

Instead, Pentis advises parents and students to focus on their family’s priorities. Here’s how you can approach this:

  • Build a list of what the student wants to get out of their HBCU college experience. This can include proximity to a support system such as family, school size or access to certain majors, classes and activities.
  • Once that list is complete, the student can go out and see which HBCUs are the best match for what they’re seeking. When visiting schools, they should be sure to go when school is in session to get a good impression of what day-to-day life is like as a student. The student may also want to take a tour of the campus, meet with an admissions counselor and sit in on a lecture.
  • Once the family has a list of HBCUs that mostly fit their criteria, it’s time to compare those schools on an apples-to-apples basis, looking at objective facts like costs and graduation rates. Ideally, the family will be left with at least a few affordable schools that are still likely to support the student from admission to graduation.

Methodology

Student Loan Hero analysts looked at data on historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to rank the most and least affordable institutions.

Researchers gathered average annual net costs to attend each school and ranked them from lowest to highest. Net cost measures the average annual total cost of attendance, including tuition and fees, books and supplies, and living expenses, minus the average grant/scholarship aid. It’s calculated for all full-time, first-time, degree or certificate-seeking undergraduates who receive Title IV aid.

The latest available data is from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard for the 2019-20 school year.

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