As students head back to campus, Forbes has released a new ranking highlighting HBCUs that are setting graduates up for success.
The publication ranked schools using measures tied to student outcomes and return on investment, including graduation rates, retention, alumni earnings, student debt and outcomes for students receiving Pell Grants.
Howard University earned the No. 1 spot among private HBCUs, followed by Spelman College and Morehouse College. Howard has a 69% six-year graduation rate, while Spelman leads the entire Forbes HBCU list with a 76% graduation rate.
Morehouse stood out when it came to alumni earnings. Its graduates reported early-career median pay of $71,800 and mid-career median pay of $126,700, the highest among the top three private schools.
On the public-school side, North Carolina A&T State University ranked No. 1, followed by Florida A&M University and Prairie View A&M University. North Carolina A&T also remains the nation’s largest HBCU and a major producer of Black engineers.
The rankings are another reminder of the academic, professional and cultural impact HBCUs continue to have across the country.