In 2021, the U.S. News & World Report ranked more black colleges and universities than ever. Howard University, Spelman College, Norfolk State University, Bowie State University, Elizabeth City State University, Florida A&M University, and Delaware State University all ranked highly.
These schools provide a unique opportunity for African-American students to study professional careers and have consistently been recognized as some of the best schools in America for their quality education and commitment to diversity.
The Best 100 National Colleges list included twelve (HBCUs), which historically have been excluded due to their small student populations and lack of resources; however, they have recently gained recognition as some of the best national universities in the nation. Including HBCUs in these rankings has raised their profiles considerably, as many top students with impressive GPAs are now looking to these institutions for admission.
- Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1837. The oldest public HBCU began as the Institute for Colored Youth and quickly grew to become a full-state university. It has provided higher education to African-American students for over 150 years.
- Howard University boasts a graduation rate of 76% as well as earning accreditation from the AACSB (Advance Collegiate Schools of Business).
- Spelman College ranks among the country’s most selective women’s colleges. Other notable schools on the list include Hampton University, with an impressive 91% graduation rate, and Norfolk State University, with a 75% graduation rate.
- Bowie State University, founded in 1865 is Georgia’s oldest black university. According to U.S. News & World Report, it is one of two public regional universities in the country that offer a law degree program.
- Bowie State was once a previous arch-rival of Louisiana State University, and it continues to be one of the most competitive institutions for higher education in the south.
- Clark Atlanta University has also made it onto this list, as one of the leading educational institutions in America. The rankings demonstrate that these three universities produce highly educated individuals ready to tackle any challenge head-on and make a lasting impact on society.
- North Carolina A&T State University and Florida A&M are two other highly ranked schools, with 61% and 66% graduation rates, respectively, according to the U.S., the latest rankings of best colleges in the United States.
- Florida A&M is the only university maintained by the state of Florida to produce black women founders of tech companies alongside Stanford University. It is one of the most innovative schools in the country. North Carolina A&T State University is also ranked among the top HBCUs and has had a long academic partnership with Atlanta University Center – a consortium of four historically black colleges and universities in Atlanta, Georgia.
- The first one to be established was Fayetteville State University, which opened in 1867 in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Following this were Atlanta University (later Clark Atlanta University) and Tallahassee, founded by African American educators and the American Baptist Home Mission Society.
- Fayetteville State University is ranked among the top tier of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Howard School of Medicine in Greensboro, North Carolina, which was initially a private medical school founded by Dr. Charles B. McCawley in 1867. Other notable HBCUs include Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Marshall College in Huntington, West Virginia, and Bennett College in Greensboro.
- Delaware State University is often ranked among the best colleges in value. News Best Colleges also ranks it as one of the top “Best Value” schools because it offers an excellent quality education at a reasonable cost. Jackson State University is another HBCU in an elite company with select architecture, engineering, and business administration majors. These universities and colleges offer bachelor’s and master’s degrees for American university students pursuing higher education. State University of New York College of Technology at Delhi is also famous among students seeking an affordable HBCU experience.
These schools provide a unique opportunity for African-American students to study professional careers and have consistently been recognized as some of the best schools in America for their quality education and commitment to diversity.