Best School Ranking
In the United States, colleges and universities dedicated to black students have existed since the 19th century. Such schools would come to be known as historically black colleges and universities, or HBCUs for short. Today, over 100 U.S. colleges and universities identify as HBCUs.
Using our established rankings methodology, and factoring in the average SAT and ACT scores of each school’s incoming class, we've assessed the merits of all 104 schools and created a list of the top 30. The schools on this list are as well regarded for their academic rigor as they are for their commitment to the ambitions and accomplishments of black citizens and their communities. Choose any school below to view a brief profile explaining the legacy of the school, its present successes, including the strongest programs offered, and the future of the institution.
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Rank School Location Tuition + -
- Rank
- 1
- School
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Morehouse College
- Location
- Atlanta, GA
- Tuition
- N/A
–Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 830 Westview Dr SW
- Atlanta, GA 30314
- (404) 681-2800
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
As a private, historically black liberal arts college for men, Morehouse College prepares its students for future leadership and service roles through programs in three areas: business administration and economics, humanities and social sciences, and science and mathematics. Since its founding in 1867, Morehouse has traditionally graduated more black men than any other school. With a history of educating notable black alumni like Martin Luther King Jr. and Spike Lee, Morehouse considers educating students about black history and culture as a special responsibility. Through its Rugari Scholarship Program, the college provides full tuition to five students from the African Great Lakes Region, celebrating a sense of leadership and ingenuity that Morehouse instills in students.
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- Rank
- 2
- School
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Howard University
- Location
- Washington, DC
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 2400 Sixth St NW
- Washington, DC 20059-0001
- (202) 806-6100
Accreditation
- MSCHE
School Description
Howard University is ranked among the top colleges for black students because of its emphasis on teaching African-American culture, and its dedication to finding and retaining distinguished faculty who now comprise the world's most concentrated number of black scholars. With black or African-American students accounting for 93% of enrollment, undergrads at Howard are required to complete an Afro-American studies course. Students are offered the choice of a wide variety of majors, from African studies to computer engineering. Greek life is popular at Howard; two of the historically black fraternities, Omega Psi Phi and Phi Beta Sigma, were founded here.
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- Rank
- 3
- School
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Spelman College
- Location
- Atlanta, GA
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 350 Spelman Lane SW
- Atlanta, GA 30314-4399
- (404) 681-3643
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
Started as a Baptist female seminary in 1881, Spelman College is the oldest historically black college for women. Today the school has a total enrollment of about 2,100 women pursuing studies that range from biochemistry to world languages and literature. As outlined in the school's mission, Spelman is dedicated to its role as a global leader in educating women of African descent. Spelman's more than 70 student organizations include several historically black sororities like Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta.
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- Rank
- 4
- School
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Fisk University
- Location
- Nashville, TN
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 1000 17th Ave North
- Nashville, TN 37208-4501
- (615) 329-8500
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
Since its founding in 1866, shortly after the Civil War ended, Fisk University has proven its dedication to shaping generations of black students to become intellectual, artistic and civic leaders. Notable alumni range from author and activist W.E.B. Du Bois to Mathew Knowles, CEO of World Music Entertainment. The oldest institution of higher learning in Nashville, Fisk also ranks as the fourth highest college or university in Tennessee. With just over 600 students enrolled, Fisk boasts a student-faculty ratio of 11:1. As part of the school's CORE curriculum, students are required to choose one course from a group that includes African-American literature and African history.
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- Rank
- 5
- School
-
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
- Location
- Tallahassee, FL
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 1500 S Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
- Tallahassee, FL 32307
- (850) 599-3000
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
Initially founded in 1887 as the State Normal College for Colored Students, today Florida A&M is a land-grant university and research institution committed to its historic mission to educate African Americans. An estimated 90% of enrollment at FAMU is made up of black students, with nearly 9,000 undergrads and about 2,000 grad students. As part of its strategic plan, the university aims to become a leading institution of black graduate alumni in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields.
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- Rank
- 6
- School
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Tuskegee University
- Location
- Tuskegee, AL
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- Kresge Center, 3rd Floor
- Tuskegee, AL 36088-1920
- (334) 727-8011
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
A historically black university with an emphasis on science and engineering education, and facilitating groundbreaking research, Tuskegee University has become the top school to graduate African-American aerospace science engineers. Founded in 1881 by Booker T. Washington, the university's campus is the only one in the U.S. to be declared a National Historic Site by the U.S. Congress, and it is home to just about 3,000 students. The Marching Crimson Piper Band is just one of the many student organizations at Tuskegee, along with the National Society of Black Engineers and an NAACP College Chapter.
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- Rank
- 7
- School
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North Carolina A&T State University
- Location
- Greensboro, NC
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 1601 E Market St
- Greensboro, NC 27411
- (336) 334-7500
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is one of the top schools in terms of awarding engineering and agriculture degrees to African-American students. The school was founded in 1891 as a land-grant institute and played an active role during the Civil Rights movement. The Greensboro Four, who staged the nation's first sit-in, were NC A&T students; activist Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. is also an alumnus. Greek life is popular among NC A&T students and includes historically black fraternities such as Alpha Phi Alpha and sororities like Alpha Kappa Alpha.
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- Rank
- 8
- School
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Xavier University of Louisiana
- Location
- New Orleans, LA
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- One Drexel Drive
- New Orleans, LA 70125-1098
- (504) 486-7411
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
Built on a mission of promoting leadership and service, the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament originally founded Xavier in 1915 as a high school for African Americans and Native Americans. A four-year university was added ten years later. Today, enrollment measures about 3,100, of which 71% are black and 27% are Catholic. Undergraduate students are required to complete 66 core credits that include courses in African-American studies, natural sciences and theology. Xavier has been continually ranked first for its number of African-American undergrads earning degrees in both the biological/life sciences and the physical sciences.
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- Rank
- 9
- School
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Winston-Salem State University
- Location
- Winston-Salem, NC
- Tuition
- $5,468 in state;
- $14,281 out of state
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 601 Martin Luther King Jr Dr
- Winston-Salem, NC 27110-0001
- (336) 750-2000
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
As the Winston-Salem economy grew from tobacco and textiles to healthcare and the financial industry, so did the curricula at WSSU. A public institution founded in 1892, WSSU offers degree programs in four areas: health and services, science and technology, teaching and learning and financial services. Total enrollment is about 6,100 students, with 72% African American, and 70% female. WSSU's educational mission is reflected in the school's motto: Enter to learn, depart to serve. The school currently has the third-largest body of graduating nurses in North Carolina, and its Diggs Gallery has been recognized as one of the nation's best contemporary, African-American art galleries.
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- Rank
- 10
- School
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Tougaloo College
- Location
- Tougaloo, MS
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
Address
- 500 W County Line Rd
- Tougaloo, MS 39174
- (601) 977-7700
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
What was once the John Boddie Plantation, a source of black oppression, is now Tougaloo College, an institute dedicated to preserving intellectual and educational freedoms. Tougaloo asserts a broad approach to education and asks that students complete a general education in addition to specialized training in one area. The school has a total undergraduate enrollment of about 870 students and has produced many professionals in the state of Mississippi. Tougaloo graduates 40% of the African-American physicians and dentists practicing in Mississippi, along with 35% of the state's African-American educators and school administrators.
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- Rank
- 11
- School
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Hampton University
- Location
- Hampton, VA
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- E Queen Street
- Hampton, VA 23668-0099
- (757) 727-5000
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
Since its Civil War era inception, Hampton University has maintained its dedication to educating African Americans, and it is committed to fostering a multicultural community. Near the campus entrance stands the Emancipation Oak, which was the site of initial classes for recently freed men and women, as well as the location of the first southern reading of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Currently, the school has a total enrollment of about 4,600, with about 90% black students. Hampton is home to the Skin of Color Research Institute, which was established to research the treatment of skin diseases that affect people of color.
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- Rank
- 12
- School
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Bowie State University
- Location
- Bowie, MD
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 14000 Jericho Park Rd
- Bowie, MD 20715-9465
- (301) 860-4000
Accreditation
- MSCHE
School Description
Bowie State, home of the Bulldogs, traces its origins to an African Baptist church in Maryland where courses in teacher training and education were offered to black citizens. Later, the school grew to focus on teacher education and liberal arts. Bowie now offers 23 undergraduate majors and 35 master's, doctoral and certification programs. True to its beginning, Bowie is a leader in graduating African-American students with degrees in education. Total enrollment includes about 4,300 undergrads and about 1,200 graduate students.
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- Rank
- 13
- School
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Claflin University
- Location
- Orangeburg, SC
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 400 Magnolia Street
- Orangeburg, SC 29115-4498
- (803) 535-5000
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
Claflin University became the first institute of higher education in South Carolina to admit students regardless of race or religious affiliation. The school was initially started by Methodist missionaries in 1869 in an effort to educate recently freed men and women and prepare them to live as full citizens. Today, Clafin operates as a small liberal arts college, with about 1,800 undergrads and 60 graduate students. In the fall of 2012, about 92% of undergraduates were black or African American, and students from several African countries were enrolled at Clafin. Among the student organizations on campus is a local chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants.
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- Rank
- 14
- School
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Oakwood University
- Location
- Huntsville, AL
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 7000 Adventist Blvd NW
- Huntsville, AL 35896
- (256) 726-7000
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
Built on a former slave plantation, members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church founded Oakwood in 1896 on the belief that all people are created equal. Today, the school's mission centers on promoting a biblically-based education that prepares students to better serve God and humanity. With enrollment close to 2,000 students, Oakwood offers undergraduate degrees through its five schools and opportunities for extracurricular activities through its nearly 30 clubs. Oakwood's science program has been nationally recognized, and the school has been ranked as "the nation's fifth-highest producer of undergraduate black applicants to medical schools."
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- Rank
- 15
- School
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North Carolina Central University
- Location
- Durham, NC
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 1801 Fayetteville Street
- Durham, NC 27707
- (919) 530-6100
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
North Carolina Central University was the first public liberal arts school for African Americans in the United States. Initially founded as a religious training school, NCCU has become a leading historically black university, and it offers programs and degrees through its eight schools and colleges. Out of an enrollment of about 6,300 undergraduate and 1,800 graduate students, about 78% of NCCU students identify as African American and 12% as white. Putting its commitment to African-American culture and heritage on display, the NCCU art museum contains one of North Carolina's leading collections of works by African-American artists.
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- Rank
- 16
- School
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Elizabeth City State University
- Location
- Elizabeth City, NC
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 1704 Weeksville Rd
- Elizabeth City, NC 27909
- (252) 335-3400
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
Originally established as a teaching college to train black teachers, Elizabeth City State University has evolved since its 1891 founding, but it remains a leader in graduating North Carolina's educators. Today, the school offers 34 undergraduate degrees and four master's degrees, and the U.S. News and World Report has ranked ECSU the No. 1 Top Public School (Regional Colleges/South), as well as the 18th-best historically black college or university in the United States. Out of a total enrollment of roughly 2,400, about 77% of students are black and 16% are white.
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- Rank
- 17
- School
-
Prairie View A&M University
- Location
- Prairie View, TX
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- FM 1098 Road & University Drive
- Prairie View, TX 77446
- (936) 261-3311
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
In Texas, the second oldest public institution of higher learning was also the first state-supported school to admit African Americans. Initially specializing in agriculture, mechanical arts, engineering and the natural sciences, Prairie View A&M has grown to encompass eight schools and colleges, and offer 32 master's and doctoral degrees. PVAMU has a total enrollment of about 8,200, including 1,500 graduate students. The student body is about 86% black or African American. Embodying the school's soul and spirit is the Marching Storm marching band, which carries out a historically black college tradition through drum majors, majorettes and halftime pageants.
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- Rank
- 18
- School
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Fayetteville State University
- Location
- Fayetteville, NC
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 1200 Murchison Rd
- Fayetteville, NC 28301-4298
- (910) 672-1111
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
Started in 1867 by seven black citizens of Fayetteville, Fayetteville State University went on to become the first state-supported institution for African Americans in North Carolina. Just as its first community had supported the fledgling school and its mission to educate minorities, to this day the university is committed to supporting diversity and underrepresented populations. The school currently graduates one of the highest bodies of black students in North Carolina and ranks 54th for graduating African Americans with bachelor's degrees. Total enrollment is about 6,200 students, of which 65% are black.
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- Rank
- 19
- School
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Virginia State University
- Location
- Petersburg, VA
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 1 Hayden Drive
- Petersburg, VA 23806
- (804) 524-5000
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
Founded in 1882, Virginia State University became the nation's first four-year institution for black students to be fully supported by the state. It has since developed into a student-centered university with an education molded on instruction, research, extension and outreach. Diversity continues to be celebrated at VSU, as staff, faculty and students help create an environment where differences are valued and respected. Greek life is a popular way for VSU students to get involved on campus. The university supports all nine of the fraternities and sororities governed by the National Pan-Hellenic Council Inc.
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- Rank
- 20
- School
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Dillard University
- Location
- New Orleans, LA
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
Address
- 2601 Gentilly Blvd
- New Orleans, LA 70122
- (504) 816-4640
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
Two schools merged in 1935 to form Dillard, which became a coeducational institution with a mostly black student body. The school is affiliated with both the United Methodist Church and the United Church of Christ. Today, with about 90% black or African-American students, Dillard retains its commitment to educational freedoms and overcoming poverty and injustice that has historically affected the black experience in the South.
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- Rank
- 21
- School
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Lincoln University of Pennsylvania
- Location
- Lincoln University, PA
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 1570 Baltimore Pike
- Lincoln University, PA 19352-0999
- (484) 365-8000
Accreditation
- MSCHE
School Description
Lincoln University was among the nation's first historically black colleges. Since its founding in 1854, the school has been recognized for its number of African-American graduates in the sciences. Notable alumni include poet Langston Hughes, who attended Lincoln on a scholarship, and Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American justice for the U.S. Supreme Court. Black students currently make up about 83% of the 1,600 undergraduate and 350 graduate students currently enrolled.
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- Rank
- 22
- School
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Philander Smith College
- Location
- Little Rock, AR
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 900 W. Daisy Bates Drive
- Little Rock, AR 72202-3799
- (501) 375-9845
Accreditation
- NCACS/THLC
School Description
Philander Smith College began as the first institution west of the Mississippi River to educate recently freed African-American men and women. True to its heritage, Philander Smith continues its commitment to educating black students, who make up about 90% of enrollment. In 2007, the school launched its social justice initiative that emphasized its new mission to graduate "accomplished students, grounded as advocates for social justice." The campaign also included changing the school's address to pay homage to civil rights activist Daisy L. Gatson Bates.
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- Rank
- 23
- School
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University of Maryland Eastern Shore
- Location
- Princess Anne, MD
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- J.T. Williams Hall
- Princess Anne, MD 21853-1299
- (410) 651-2200
Accreditation
- MSCHE
School Description
With humble beginnings of one teacher and nine students in 1886, it wasn't until 1970 that the UM Eastern Shore became the school it is today. The university emphasizes learning and leadership as strategies for students to find success, and it appreciates diversity through a commitment to tolerance and freedom of expression. Undergraduate enrollment is about 3,500, and black students make up about 70% of the population overall. Among its degrees across 26 disciplines is an African-American studies program for undergraduates, and the university recently began the African Journal of Criminology and Justice Studies.
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- Rank
- 24
- School
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Norfolk State University
- Location
- Norfolk, VA
- Tuition
- $7,126 in state;
- $20,596
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 700 Park Avenue
- Norfolk, VA 23504-8000
- (757) 823-8600
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
Founded in 1935, Norfolk State University, one of the largest HBCUs in the U.S., became an independent school in 1969. Current undergraduate enrollment is about 6,000 students. As a state-sponsored liberal arts school, Norfolk emphasizes diversity as one of its core values, and the school seeks to embrace all people regardless of culture and lifestyles. With notable science and technology departments, Norfolk's student organizations include chapters of the National Society of Black Engineers and Black Data Processing Associates. Greek life at Norfolk features the nine fraternities and sororities governed by the National Pan-Hellenic Council Inc., among others.
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- Rank
- 25
- School
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Jackson State University
- Location
- Jackson, MS
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 1440 J R Lynch Street
- Jackson, MS 39217
- (601) 979-2121
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
African-American culture emanates throughout Jackson State University, a public, historically black school in Mississippi. The student body is about 90% black, with a total enrollment of around 9,000 students. The university offers several ways to learn more about African-American heritage, including dozens of courses across several disciplines that focus on black culture, such as the philosophy class titled "Black Church and Black Theology," and the sociology class called "Black Female and the Family." In addition, the Margaret Walker Center is an archive and museum that encourages the study of African-American life and history through artifacts and exhibits.
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- Rank
- 26
- School
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Virginia University of Lynchburg
- Location
- Lynchburg, VA
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
Address
- 2058 Garfield Ave
- Lynchburg, VA 24501
- (434) 528-52761130
Accreditation
- TACCS/AC
School Description
African-American Baptist leaders in Virginia originally founded the Virginia Seminary and College in 1886, just 21 years out of slavery. The school was renamed in 1996 to become the Virginia University of Lynchburg. Today, it seeks to provide a liberal arts and Christian education program for its approximately 500 students. Initially started to help educate and train local African-American ministers, missionaries and public school teachers, the university maintains this effort and has, for the past 25 years, maintained teaching facilities throughout Virginia.
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- Rank
- 27
- School
-
Johnson C. Smith University
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 100 Beatties Ford Road
- Charlotte, NC 28216-5398
- (704) 378-1000
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
Johnson C. Smith University began in 1867 as The Freedmen's College of North Carolina, and it became the first black college in the south to offer professional courses in education about 50 years later. The school changed its name in the 1920s and later became a founding member of the United Negro College Fund. JCSU strives to achieve diversity and actively recruits students, staff and faculty from different cultures, races and socioeconomic backgrounds. Its approximately 1,300 students are enrolled across 22 fields of study from computer engineering to sport management. JCSU was also the first historically black college or university to implement ThinkPad U and provide IMB laptops to every student.
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- Rank
- 28
- School
-
Wilberforce University
- Location
- Wilberforce, OH
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 1055 N Bickett Rd
- Wilberforce, OH 45384-1001
- (937) 376-2911
Accreditation
- NCACS/THLC
School Description
Initially started as a safe haven point on the Underground Railroad, the nation's oldest private, historically black university was named after abolitionist William Wilberforce. Later adopted by the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Wilberforce University now grounds its core values in Christian principles, religion and social responsibility. At a time when other historically black colleges and universities are facing financial difficulties, Wilberforce continues to focus on innovation and is helping to cultivate the next generation of entrepreneurs. As part of its programming, the university has initiated an African American-Israel exchange program.
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- Rank
- 29
- School
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Bethune-Cookman University
- Location
- Daytona Beach, FL
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 640 Dr Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd
- Daytona Beach, FL 32114-3099
- (386) 481-2000
Accreditation
- SACS/CC
School Description
Founded by a young black woman in 1904, Bethune-Cookman University has grown from its inception as the Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls, to an affiliate of the United Methodist Church, to its current university status in 2007. The school comprises about 3,700 undergrads and 60 graduate students, of which 91% are black or African American. With a mission founded in Christian tradition, the school aims to serve the needs of its socially and culturally diverse students and promote professional growth and leadership. Greek life is popular among Bethune-Cookman students, and the school supports chapters of the nine fraternities and sororities governed by the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc.
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- Rank
- 30
- School
-
Delaware State University
- Location
- Dover, DE
- Tuition
- N/A
+Websites
- School Website
- Financial Aid Office
Address
- 1200 N. Dupont Highway
- Dover, DE 19901
- (302) 857-6060
Accreditation
- MSCHE
School Description
Delaware State began in 1891 as a land-grant institute named the State College for Colored Students. Today, the school has a total enrollment of about 4,500, with about 3,900 undergraduates. About 72% of the student body is black or African American. Among its 64 bachelor's, 22 master's and five doctoral degrees offered through its 20 academic department is an Africana Studies program for undergraduates. DSU boasts long-standing chapters of historically black fraternities and sororities, known as the "divine nine," which are governed by the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc.