Choosing HBCUs with STEM Degree Programs

Educations and careers focused on the STEM group of disciplines are some of the hottest and most sought-after in the country. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Essentially, any scientific, tech, engineering or mathematics job which is not medical in nature is part of the STEM family. These are many of the fastest-growing, highest-paid and stable careers in the entire country.

What are STEM Careers?

While the scope of STEM careers is extremely broad, there are some major career groups. Computer science is one of the most familiar, and the fastest-growing. Careers in this field are expected to grow very quickly and stay in-demand for many years to come. Aerospace engineering is another extremely high-paying STEM career field. When combined with an MBA, many experts believe that aerospace engineering management commands the very highest salaries within the STEM family of careers.

Astrophysics, nanotechnology, robotics, virtually every aspect of engineering, biomechanics and the atmospheric sciences are just a few of the hundreds of job fields which fall under the STEM umbrella.

If you’re more at home outdoors than within a lab or office, you’ll be glad to know that STEM careers also include the environmental sciences. With the right background, your STEM career could take you all the way to the north or south Poles, studying the environmental changes which are shaping our earth’s future. You could also work with animals, plants, or in virtually any field of biology.

The broad scope and high demand for STEM careers makes them excellent choices for students who have a natural inclination or interest in any area of science, math or technology.

Finding the Right School

A very large number of HBCUs offer STEM programs. The following is a listing you can use as a guide. Remember that the STEM programs at each school are very different. Research each program carefully to determine which will best support your career goals.

A – Alabama A&M University, Huntsville, Alabama

Alabama State University, Montgomery, Alabama

Alcorn State University, Lorman, Mississippi

B – Benedict College, Columbia, South Carolina

Bowie State University, Bowie, Maryland

C – Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio

E – Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City, North Carolina

F – Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, North Carolina

Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, Florida

Florida Memorial University, Miami Gardens, Florida

G – Grambling State University, Grambling, Louisiana

H – Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia

Howard University, Washington, DC

J – Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi

Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, North Carolina

K – Kentucky State University, Frankfort, Kentucky

L – Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Missouri

Lincoln University, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

M – Mississippi Valley State University, Itta Bena, Mississippi

Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland

N – Norfolk State University, Norfolk, Virginia

North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, North Carolina

North Carolina Central University, Durham, North Carolina

P – Prairie View State University, Prairie View, Texas

S – Savannah State University, Savannah, Georgia

South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, South Carolina

Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

T – Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee

Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas

Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama

U – University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Arkansas

University of Maryland Eastern Sore, Princess Anne, Maryland

University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC

V – Virginia State University, Petersburg, Virginia

Virginia Union University, Richmond, Virginia

W – Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Pursuing a STEM career is an excellent way to help broaden and improve your future. These schools can help get you there. Be sure to also research STEM-specific loans, grants and other forms of student aid, many of which are not associated with a particular school.