HBCU NOW
RANKINGS
The HBCU Now Power Rankings
HBCU Now's editorial rankings are compiled independently using publicly available data, institutional reports, and our editorial team's ongoing campus coverage — with no paid placement or institutional sponsorship influencing results.
INDEPENDENT · EDITORIAL · DATA-DRIVEN
POWER RANKINGS
Best HBCUs Overall
Our overall rankings weigh academic outcomes, graduation rates, financial aid availability, student satisfaction, research output, and institutional accreditation across all 101 active HBCUs.
#1
Howard University
Washington, D.C. · Private
Research, Medicine, Law
Enrollment: ~10,000
#2
Spelman College
Atlanta, GA · Private
Liberal Arts, STEM, Leadership
Enrollment: ~2,200
#3
Morehouse College
Atlanta, GA · Private
Business, Medicine, Humanities
Enrollment: ~2,300
#4
Hampton University
Hampton, VA · Private
Engineering, Business, Nursing
Enrollment: ~3,500
#5
Florida A&M University
Tallahassee, FL · Public
Pharmacy, Business, STEM
Enrollment: ~9,500
#6
Xavier University of Louisiana
New Orleans, LA · Private
Pharmacy, Pre-Med
Enrollment: ~2,800
#7
North Carolina A&T
Greensboro, NC · Public
Engineering, Agri-Science
Enrollment: ~13,000
#8
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee, AL · Private
Engineering, Veterinary, Agri
Enrollment: ~2,700
#9
Delaware State University
Dover, DE · Public
STEM, Education, Business
Enrollment: ~4,500
#10
Morgan State University
Baltimore, MD · Public
Engineering, Business, Arts
Enrollment: ~7,000
PROGRAM RANKINGS
Best HBCU Business Schools
These programs are ranked on AACSB or ACBSP accreditation status, faculty credentials, alumni career outcomes, entrepreneurship resources, and program breadth across undergraduate and graduate offerings.
#1 · HOWARD UNIVERSITY
School of Business
AACSB Accredited
Strong MBA, finance, and entrepreneurship programs with a powerful D.C. network advantage.
Alumni: Sean Combs, Cathy Hughes
#2 · FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY
School of Business and Industry
AACSB Accredited
One of the top-ranked HBCU business programs nationally with strong corporate pipeline.
Renowned for Fortune 500 alumni placement rates
#3 · NORTH CAROLINA A&T
Joseph S. Koury School of Business
AACSB Accredited
Focus on supply chain management, marketing, and management with industry-embedded curriculum.
Strong connections to major logistics and retail corporations
#4 · HAMPTON UNIVERSITY
School of Business
ACBSP Accredited
Emphasis on global business and leadership with strong alumni military and government ties.
Alumni: Michelle Howard
#5 · MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Earl G. Graves School of Business
AACSB Candidate
Named after Black Enterprise founder; strong entrepreneurship pipeline with Baltimore business community ties.
Named for Earl G. Graves Sr., Black Enterprise founder
#6 · SPELMAN COLLEGE
Economics & Business
Pre-MBA Pipeline Excellence
Strong pre-MBA pipeline feeding top graduate programs; high placement in finance and consulting.
Alumni: Stacey Abrams
PROGRAM RANKINGS
Best HBCU Nursing Programs
Rankings consider NCLEX-RN first-time pass rates, ACEN or CCNE accreditation, program types offered (BSN, MSN, DNP), clinical partnership strength, and faculty-to-student ratios.
#1 · HAMPTON UNIVERSITY
School of Nursing
CCNE Accredited
BSN · MSN · DNP
Strong NCLEX first-time pass rates
Clinical partnerships with Sentara Healthcare system provide robust hands-on training.
#2 · FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY
College of Pharmacy & Nursing
ACEN Accredited
BSN · MSN
High first-time pass rate
Active clinical partnerships with Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare and regional health systems.
#3 · TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
Department of Nursing
ACEN Accredited
BSN · MSN
High first-time pass rate
Strong simulation lab infrastructure prepares graduates for high-acuity clinical environments.
#4 · WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY
Department of Nursing
CCNE Accredited
BSN · MSN
High first-time pass rate
Ranked among the top HBCU nursing programs nationally with strong regional healthcare placement.
#5 · NORTH CAROLINA A&T
School of Nursing
ACEN Accredited
BSN
High NCLEX pass rates
Active clinical pipeline connecting graduates to Cone Health and regional hospital networks.
#6 · MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
School of Nursing
CCNE Accredited
BSN · MSN
High first-time pass rate
Strong community health and urban health research focus with Baltimore healthcare system partnerships.
PROGRAM RANKINGS
Best HBCU Engineering Schools
Engineering rankings weight ABET accreditation across disciplines, sponsored research funding, industry and government partnerships (NASA, NSF, DoD), graduate placement rates, and the breadth of engineering disciplines offered.
#1 · NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE
College of Engineering
ABET Accredited — 9+ Programs
Nation's largest HBCU engineering college; NSF HBCU-UP funded with cutting-edge research facilities.
Alumni: Ronald McNair · NSF, NASA partnerships
#2 · HOWARD UNIVERSITY
College of Engineering & Architecture
ABET Accredited
NASA, NSF, and DARPA partnerships power strong aerospace and biomedical engineering tracks.
Partners: NASA, NSF, DARPA
#3 · MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. School of Engineering
ABET Accredited
DoT University Transportation Center designation; strong civil and electrical engineering programs.
Partners: U.S. Dept. of Transportation
#4 · TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY
College of Engineering
ABET Accredited
Historic aviation legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen anchors strong aerospace, mechanical, and materials science programs.
Tuskegee Airmen legacy · aerospace, materials science
#5 · PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY
Roy G. Perry College of Engineering
ABET Accredited
NASA-affiliated research programs; strong electrical and computer engineering tracks with industry placements.
Partners: NASA · strong ECE placement
#6 · FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY
FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
ABET Accredited
Joint FAMU-FSU program delivers top research output and unmatched access to state and federal research resources.
Joint program with FSU · top research output
CAMPUS EXPERIENCE RANKINGS
Best HBCU Campus Life
Campus life rankings evaluate Greek life presence, marching band culture and national recognition, homecoming tradition and scale, student organization breadth, on-campus amenities, and overall student satisfaction scores.
#1 · Howard University
Campus life rankings are updated annually. Know a campus that belongs on this list? Submit your school for consideration.
TRANSPARENCY
Our Rankings Methodology
How We Rank
HBCU Now rankings are produced by our editorial team using a composite scoring model. No school pays to be included or ranked. Institutional data is sourced from IPEDS, NCES, accrediting bodies, and school-reported figures. Where data is unavailable or unverified, schools are noted accordingly.
Ranking Criteria
- Academic outcomes (graduation rates, retention rates)
- Accreditation status (regional, programmatic)
- Financial aid availability and average net price
- Student satisfaction and campus experience data
- Research output and industry partnerships
- Program breadth and graduate placement rates
- Campus life, Greek presence, and cultural programming
Data Sources
Primary sources include the U.S. Department of Education IPEDS database, AACSB, ACBSP, ABET, ACEN, CCNE accreditation directories, College Scorecard, Princeton Review student surveys, and HBCU Now editorial campus coverage.
Editorial Independence
HBCU Now rankings are editorially independent. Advertisers, sponsors, and institutional partners have no influence over ranking outcomes. Any school featured in a sponsored content placement is clearly labeled as such and scored separately from editorial rankings.
Submit a Correction or Update
If your institution's data has changed or you believe a ranking contains an error, our editorial team reviews all formal submissions.
Rankings are updated annually each fall. Follow HBCU Now for the latest rankings releases, campus profiles, and HBCU news.