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The real 4-year cost of Howard University in District of Columbia
Over the 18 years from 2008 to 2026, published tuition and required fees at Howard University went from $15,010 to $38,462, an average of 4.4% a year. The 2026–27 figure is the school's own announced rate.
2026–27 rate announced: $38,4622026-2027 undergraduate tuition, unchanged from 2025-26 per the university's freeze; $990 mandatory fees listed separately.source
2008–2030: history and projection
| Year | Published | Projected estimate | Estimate range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $15,010 | – | – |
| 2009 | $16,075 | – | – |
| 2010 | $18,120 | – | – |
| 2011 | $20,232 | – | – |
| 2012 | $22,783 | – | – |
| 2013 | $22,783 | – | – |
| 2014 | $23,970 | – | – |
| 2015 | $23,970 | – | – |
| 2016 | $24,908 | – | – |
| 2017 | $25,697 | – | – |
| 2018 | $26,756 | – | – |
| 2019 | $27,206 | – | – |
| 2020 | $28,440 | – | – |
| 2021 | $28,916 | – | – |
| 2022 | $31,050 | – | – |
| 2023 | $33,344 | – | – |
| 2026 | $38,462 | $38,462 | – |
| 2027 | – | $40,152 | $38,628–$41,676 |
| 2028 | – | $41,915 | $38,794–$45,158 |
| 2029 | – | $43,757 | $38,961–$48,931 |
| 2030 | – | $45,679 | $39,129–$53,019 |
If you pay full sticker
Projected tuition + fees, entering fall 2026.
| Year 1 | $38,462 |
| Year 2 | $40,152 |
| Year 3 | $41,915 |
| Year 4 | $43,757 |
| 4-year total | $164,286 |
Two aid scenarios
4-year out-of-pocket total.
- $10,000/yr flat scholarship
- $124,286
- Flat aid doesn't grow, so it covers less each year.
- 50%-of-tuition scholarship
- $83,138
- Percentage aid keeps pace with tuition.
On-campus housing & meals
Room & board (housing plus the standard meal plan), on top of tuition.
- Announced 2026–27
- $21,048/ yr
- rising 4.0% / yr
- Projected 4-year add-on
- $89,404
School’s own published rateOn-campus housing $13,618 + food $7,430.source
Books & supplies typically add ~$1,200 a year (national median, not included).
Run your own numbers
Enter your actual scholarship offer to see your real 4-year total.
See my 4-year cost at Howard University4-year schools with similar prices in District of Columbia
Closest to Howard University by published tuition and fees. Similar sticker prices can still compound very differently.
Use this data
Published figures for Howard University from federal IPEDS data through 2023, free to download or embed with attribution. The embed stays current as the data updates.