Best Value HBCUs
Historically Black colleges and universities have long opened doors for students who were shut out elsewhere, and many remain strikingly affordable. This list ranks HBCUs by the estimated years of earnings premium needed to repay four years of net price, using the same method as our other value rankings.
To qualify, an HBCU needs at least 300 undergraduates, a graduation rate of 30% or more and enough earnings data. 43 schools qualify, and we show the best 43. The median payback is 4.2 years, the fastest is 1.6 years, and University of the District of Columbia ranks first. North Carolina has the most schools on the page, 6. The typical net price among qualifiers is $15,560.
The graduation floor is lower than on our other value lists because HBCUs enroll many first-generation and Pell-eligible students. Mission, campus culture and program strength matter as much as these numbers, so use the profile pages for the full picture.
Many HBCUs offer strong programs in nursing, education, business and engineering. Open a profile to see program-level earnings, and read our guide to HBCUs and minority-serving institutions.
How this list is built
A college appears here only if it meets every condition below.
- Colleges considered
- Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs)
- Ranked by payback, lowest first. Ties are broken by larger undergraduate enrollment, then by name.
- Main campuses only, with at least 60% of core data fields reported
- At least 300 undergraduate students enrolled (fall 2024)
- Graduation rate of 30% or higher
- A reported payback value (schools without one are not ranked)
- Data period
- Payback: years for the earnings premium over a high school graduate in the same state to repay four years of net price (shown only when the premium is at least $2,000).
- Net price: average for students receiving aid, academic year 2023-24.
- Earnings: median earnings four years after completing, measured in 2022 and 2023 for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 cohorts, in 2024 dollars.
- Graduate debt: median federal loan debt of completers, pooled 2020 and 2021 cohorts.
- Graduation rate: first-time, full-time students who started in fall 2018 (4-year) or fall 2021 (2-year), finishing within 150% of normal time.
- Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.
Showing the top 43 of 43 qualifying schools. Select a column heading to re-sort the table.
| 1 | University of the District of Columbia Washington, DC Public · 4-year · Open admission · HBCU | 1.6 years | $10,648 | $66,946 | $24,872 | 30% |
| 2 | Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City, NC Public · 4-year · HBCU | 1.6 years | $6,364 | $50,194 | $21,463 | 46% |
| 3 | Fayetteville State University Fayetteville, NC Public · 4-year · HBCU | 1.8 years | $7,892 | $51,687 | $22,987 | 37% |
| 4 | North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC Public · 4-year · HBCU | 1.9 years | $10,846 | $56,996 | $27,000 | 56% |
| 5 | Bluefield State University Bluefield, WV Public · 4-year · HBCU | 2.0 years | $13,684 | $61,729 | $18,250 | 36% |
| 6 | Prairie View A & M University Prairie View, TX Public · 4-year · HBCU | 2.1 years | $13,570 | $60,602 | $27,000 | 43% |
| 7 | Morgan State University Baltimore, MD Public · 4-year · HBCU | 2.4 years | $14,985 | $62,308 | $27,250 | 41% |
| 8 | Winston-Salem State University Winston-Salem, NC Public · 4-year · HBCU | 2.4 years | $13,479 | $56,396 | $25,000 | 48% |
| 9 | Delaware State University Dover, DE Public · 4-year · HBCU | 2.7 years | $13,910 | $56,957 | $26,000 | 39% |
| 10 | Bowie State University Bowie, MD Public · 4-year · HBCU | 2.8 years | $19,298 | $65,066 | $22,985 | 38% |
| 11 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore Princess Anne, MD Public · 4-year · HBCU | 2.9 years | $13,338 | $55,733 | $27,000 | 35% |
| 12 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Tallahassee, FL Public · 4-year · HBCU | 3.0 years | $13,739 | $52,657 | $23,548 | 53% |
| 13 | Tennessee State University Nashville, TN Public · 4-year · HBCU | 3.3 years | $15,796 | $53,808 | $27,000 | 33% |
| 14 | Alcorn State University Alcorn State, MS Public · 4-year · HBCU | 3.6 years | $13,265 | $45,495 | $27,000 | 51% |
| 15 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Pine Bluff, AR Public · 4-year · HBCU | 3.6 years | $12,653 | $46,380 | $24,202 | 40% |
| 16 | North Carolina Central University Durham, NC Public · 4-year · HBCU | 3.7 years | $15,359 | $50,812 | $28,250 | 44% |
| 17 | Fort Valley State University Fort Valley, GA Public · 4-year · HBCU | 3.7 years | $10,338 | $44,844 | $31,000 | 43% |
| 18 | Virginia Union University Richmond, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year · HBCU | 3.7 years | $13,235 | $50,840 | $29,000 | 39% |
| 19 | Tuskegee University Tuskegee, AL Private nonprofit · 4-year · HBCU | 3.8 years | $35,013 | $69,077 | $27,000 | 56% |
| 20 | Norfolk State University Norfolk, VA Public · 4-year · HBCU | 3.9 years | $15,282 | $52,371 | $29,000 | 36% |
| 21 | Hampton University Hampton, VA Private nonprofit · 4-year · HBCU | 4.0 years | $25,319 | $61,865 | $25,442 | 56% |
| 22 | Virginia State University Petersburg, VA Public · 4-year · HBCU | 4.2 years | $15,840 | $51,739 | $26,500 | 40% |
| 23 | Lincoln University (PA) Lincoln University, PA Public · 4-year · HBCU | 4.2 years | $14,977 | $50,871 | $28,250 | 48% |
| 24 | West Virginia State University Institute, WV Public · 4-year · HBCU | 4.2 years | $11,139 | $44,688 | $23,338 | 36% |
| 25 | Xavier University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA Private nonprofit · 4-year · HBCU | 4.6 years | $17,127 | $49,328 | $24,053 | 49% |
| 26 | Fisk University Nashville, TN Private nonprofit · 4-year · HBCU | 5.3 years | $32,020 | $58,830 | $27,000 | 35% |
| 27 | Oakwood University Huntsville, AL Private nonprofit · 4-year · HBCU | 5.5 years | $25,669 | $50,714 | $27,000 | 47% |
| 28 | Jackson State University Jackson, MS Public · 4-year · HBCU | 5.7 years | $23,836 | $47,606 | $30,470 | 41% |
| 29 | Morehouse College Atlanta, GA Private nonprofit · 4-year · HBCU | 5.7 years | $39,013 | $61,320 | $25,000 | 56% |
| 30 | Tougaloo College Tougaloo, MS Private nonprofit · 4-year · HBCU | 5.8 years | $17,043 | $42,641 | $30,046 | 33% |
| 31 | Alabama State University Montgomery, AL Public · 4-year · HBCU | 5.9 years | $20,435 | $45,998 | $31,000 | 30% |
| 32 | Philander Smith University Little Rock, AR Private nonprofit · 4-year · Open admission · HBCU | 5.9 years | $14,224 | $42,151 | $24,736 | 31% |
| 33 | Stillman College Tuscaloosa, AL Private nonprofit · 4-year · HBCU | 5.9 years | $15,258 | $42,622 | $29,067 | 32% |
| 34 | South Carolina State University Orangeburg, SC Public · 4-year · HBCU | 6.1 years | $18,097 | $46,691 | $31,000 | 33% |
| 35 | Howard University Washington, DC Private nonprofit · 4-year · HBCU | 6.2 years | $50,539 | $72,974 | $24,500 | 69% |
| 36 | Grambling State University Grambling, LA Public · 4-year · HBCU | 6.2 years | $19,809 | $47,043 | $36,500 | 34% |
| 37 | Spelman College Atlanta, GA Private nonprofit · 4-year · HBCU | 6.2 years | $38,967 | $58,897 | $25,000 | 77% |
| 38 | Dillard University New Orleans, LA Private nonprofit · 4-year · HBCU | 6.3 years | $22,094 | $48,421 | $31,000 | 44% |
| 39 | Johnson C Smith University Charlotte, NC Private nonprofit · 4-year · HBCU | 6.7 years | $20,894 | $46,511 | $30,000 | 34% |
| 40 | Florida Memorial University Miami Gardens, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year · HBCU | 7.6 years | $23,238 | $46,572 | $30,063 | 31% |
| 41 | Claflin University Orangeburg, SC Private nonprofit · 4-year · HBCU | 7.8 years | $17,800 | $43,925 | $29,000 | 50% |
| 42 | Talladega College Talladega, AL Private nonprofit · 4-year · HBCU | 8.4 years | $15,560 | $39,579 | $28,500 | 43% |
| 43 | Clark Atlanta University Atlanta, GA Private nonprofit · 4-year · HBCU | 11.2 years | $37,702 | $47,337 | $27,000 | 48% |
States with schools on this list
Browse every college in these states.