Last Updated on September 23, 2026
See how HBCUs are leveling up—explore the top 25 colleges leading in access, impact, and achievement in the HBCU Rankings 2027 list.
Choosing Your HBCU: More Than Just Numbers
Okay, real talk: picking a college still feels like scrolling Netflix with way too many options. Overwhelming. High-stakes. And everybody’s got an opinion. 👀
But if you’ve been eyeing an HBCU? You’re already winning.
These schools aren’t just about degrees. They’re about culture. Legacy. Setting you up to thrive in a world that doesn’t always play fair.
And this year, the U.S. News & World Report 2027 Best HBCU Rankings just dropped. And listen: the board got shaken up more than it has in years. A longtime champion lost a title. A rising public university had its moment. And schools across the board, from Howard to Talladega to Virginia Union, are posting some of the best numbers in their history.
Real ones know: this isn’t just a list. This is a season. 🔥
The Headline: A 7-Year Streak Just Ended
Here’s the part everybody’s talking about.
For seven straight years, Florida A&M University held the title of the nation’s #1 public HBCU. Not anymore.
North Carolina A&T State University came through and said “run it back,” climbing from #8 to #5 overall among all HBCUs (public and private) and becoming the new #1 public HBCU in the country. Let that sink in.
And FAMU? Didn’t fall off. Still a top-6 HBCU nationally, and it just posted its best-ever showing among all public universities nationwide, jumping 13 spots to #79. Real growth. Real momentum. But in the head-to-head public-HBCU race this year, A&T got it.
Even bigger? Spelman College isn’t going anywhere. This marks Spelman’s 20th consecutive year as the #1 HBCU in the country. Two decades. Say less. 👑
This part hits different: A&T’s rise comes the same year the university crossed 15,000 total students, a first for any HBCU in the nation’s history. A decade of investment, showing up right there in the data.
Aggies did that.
What the Rankings Really Mean (and Why They Matter)
Here’s the thing: the U.S. News list isn’t just bragging rights.
Schools are measured on student retention, graduation rates, affordability, and social mobility, which is a fancy way of saying: how well does this school actually help students from lower-income backgrounds level up?
Translation? These rankings don’t just say who’s popular. They show who’s actually moving the needle. For their students. For their communities. For the culture.
Top 25 HBCU Rankings 2027
Here’s the full list, straight from U.S. News:
| Rank | HBCU | Location | Type | Tuition & Fees | Undergrad Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spelman College | Atlanta, GA | Private | $33,608 | 2,597 (fall 2025) |
| 2 | Howard University | Washington, DC | Private | $38,936 | 11,084 (fall 2025) |
| 3 | Tuskegee University | Tuskegee, AL | Private | $27,260 | 2,880 (fall 2025) |
| 4 | Morehouse College | Atlanta, GA | Private | $35,284 | 3,216 (fall 2025)* |
| 5 | North Carolina A&T State University | Greensboro, NC | Public | $6,813 in-state / $20,673 out-of-state | 12,497 (fall 2024)** |
| 6 (tie) | Florida A&M University | Tallahassee, FL | Public | $5,785 in-state / $19,431 out-of-state | 7,637 (fall 2025) |
| 6 (tie) | Hampton University | Hampton, VA | Private | $31,512 | 4,046 (fall 2025) |
| 8 | Morgan State University | Baltimore, MD | Public | $8,466 in-state / $19,796 out-of-state | 9,554 (fall 2025) |
| 9 | Xavier University of Louisiana | New Orleans, LA | Private | $32,654 | 2,579 (fall 2025) |
| 10 | Claflin University | Orangeburg, SC | Private | $17,300 | 1,652 (fall 2025) |
| 11 (tie) | Elizabeth City State University | Elizabeth City, NC | Public | $7,660 in-state / $11,660 out-of-state | 2,252 (fall 2025) |
| 11 (tie) | Winston-Salem State University | Winston-Salem, NC | Public | $6,126 in-state / $16,782 out-of-state | 4,192 (fall 2024)** |
| 13 (tie) | North Carolina Central University | Durham, NC | Public | $6,929 in-state / $20,357 out-of-state | 7,325 (fall 2025) |
| 13 (tie) | Prairie View A&M University | Prairie View, TX | Public | $11,298 in-state / $26,502 out-of-state | 9,022 (fall 2025) |
| 13 (tie) | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | Princess Anne, MD | Public | $9,258 in-state / $20,524 out-of-state | 2,695 (fall 2025) |
| 16 | Delaware State University | Dover, DE | Public | $11,789 in-state / $21,792 out-of-state | 4,813 (fall 2025) |
| 17 (tie) | Clark Atlanta University | Atlanta, GA | Private | $31,540 | 3,714 (fall 2025) |
| 17 (tie) | Lincoln University (PA) | Lincoln University, PA | Public | $13,144 in-state / $19,394 out-of-state | 1,424 (fall 2025) |
| 17 (tie) | Virginia State University | Petersburg, VA | Public | $10,679 in-state / $23,169 out-of-state | 5,202 (fall 2025) |
| 20 (tie) | Alcorn State University | Lorman, MS | Public | $8,785 (flat rate) | 2,469 (fall 2025) |
| 20 (tie) | Bowie State University | Bowie, MD | Public | $9,894 in-state / $21,047 out-of-state | 4,810 (fall 2025) |
| 20 (tie) | Fisk University | Nashville, TN | Private | $25,858 | 1,035 (fall 2024) |
| 23 | Dillard University | New Orleans, LA | Private | $23,918 | 982 (fall 2025) |
| 24 (tie) | Norfolk State University | Norfolk, VA | Public | $10,842 in-state / $23,804 out-of-state | 5,828 (fall 2025) |
| 24 (tie) | University of the District of Columbia | Washington, DC | Public | $5,662 in-state / $12,514 out-of-state | 3,643 (fall 2025) |
Source: U.S. News & World Report 2027 Best HBCU Rankings, cross-checked against official school sources where noted.
👉 View the full 2027 Best Colleges Rankings on U.S. News & World Report.
A note on what changed: two schools dropped out of the top 25 entirely this year (Jackson State, now #26, and Fayetteville State, now #27 tied), while two newcomers broke in: Alcorn State and Norfolk State, both new to the top 25 for the first time. Nearly every returning school’s rank shifted at least a little. If you’re comparing this to last year’s list, don’t expect many exact repeats.
Spotlight on Excellence
North Carolina A&T State University (#5): The New #1 Public HBCU 🐾
Okay, A&T… y’all did that.
This is the story of the year, no debate. A&T jumped three full spots, from #8 to #5, and in doing so became the nation’s new #1 public HBCU, ending FAMU’s seven-year run at the top. Even bigger? The timing isn’t a coincidence. A&T also just posted 15,275 total students for fall 2025. An all-time record. And per the university’s own numbers, the first time any HBCU in history has crossed 15,000 enrolled students.
Let that sink in.
Aggie Pride isn’t just a chant. It’s a whole ecosystem of Black excellence, growing, winning, and right now? It’s the one every other public HBCU is chasing.
That’s the HBCU difference. That’s legacy in motion. 💚💛
Spelman College (#1): 20 Years at the Top 👑
Two decades running at #1. Nobody else in the country can say that.
Spelman has now been named the nation’s #1 HBCU for 20 consecutive years, the entire lifespan of this specific U.S. News ranking category. And the school didn’t just hold the line: Spelman also ranked #2 in Social Mobility and climbed to #34 among National Liberal Arts Colleges overall.
Real ones know: nobody’s catching Spelman anytime soon.
Excellence. Period.
Winston-Salem State University (#11, tied): The Biggest Jump on the Board 📈
When a school moves 11 spots in one year and proves they were never sleeping?! 😮💨
Nobody moved further this year than Winston-Salem State. WSSU climbed from #22 to #11, tied with Elizabeth City State University for the biggest single-year jump of any returning school on the list. And the university backed it up with receipts: a record fall 2025 enrollment, up 4.7% year over year.
That’s momentum. Not a one-year fluke.
What HBCUs Are Saying About Their 2027 Ranking 💯
The Top 25 tells you where everybody landed. It doesn’t tell you what it took to get there, or how each school is talking about it. Straight from the schools themselves, in their own words, released the same day as the rankings.
Tuskegee University climbed to #3 among HBCUs, up from #4, now the highest-ranked private HBCU in the South. “This is an exclamation point around all of the work we have been doing in the Renaissance Era,” said President/CEO Dr. Mark Brown (Major General, Ret.). “We are leading all HBCUs in the south and the highest ranking private HBCU in the south.”
Claflin University landed at #10 nationally among HBCUs, solo, and #7 among private HBCUs, the only South Carolina school in this year’s Top 10.
Elizabeth City State University jumped from #18 to #11 among HBCUs, tied with Winston-Salem State for the biggest single-year jump on the board, and is now the #4 public HBCU and #2 HBCU in North Carolina, plus a first-ever #1 in Best Colleges for Veterans (Regional, South). Chancellor S. Keith Hargrove, Sr.: “Ten years of growth does not happen by accident. It reflects the commitment of our faculty and staff, the confidence of our students and families, the strength of our academic programs, and the vision we have for ECSU’s future.”
Prairie View A&M University rose to #13 (tie), up five spots and continuing a multiyear climb from #26, in its milestone 150th-anniversary year with record fall enrollment of 10,318 students. President Tomikia P. LeGrande: “Rankings are one measure of the progress happening at Prairie View, but they are not the only measure. Sustained progress is what matters.”
Fisk University ranked #20 (tie) among HBCUs and #10 among private HBCUs, climbing 21 spots to #14 in Social Mobility among National Liberal Arts Colleges.
Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) held #17 (tie) among all HBCUs this year, the 10th-ranked public HBCU on the list.
Delaware State University held #9 among public HBCUs, extending a 12-year run in the top 10 public HBCUs, even as it fell out of the top 5 for the first time in a decade. DSU ranked #16 overall, its lowest placement in ten years. President Tony Allen: “We think U.S. News is asking the right question. Families want to know whether a degree pays off, and we want to ensure that it does. Our students are not settling for us. They are selecting us.”
Morgan State University ranked #8 among HBCUs and #3 among public HBCUs, behind only NC A&T and FAMU, while holding #1 in Maryland.
Howard University rose 15 positions to #73 among National Universities, the highest overall ranking in University history, while holding #2 among HBCUs and debuting at #34 among Most Innovative Schools. Interim President Wayne A. I. Frederick: “While no ranking can fully capture Howard University’s impact, this historic advancement is an important reflection of the strength and trajectory of our institution. This recognition reflects the collective work of our faculty, staff, students, alumni, trustees and partners.”
Florida A&M University held at #6 (tie) among HBCUs, but the real headline is on the national stage: FAMU climbed 13 spots to #79 among Top Public Universities, its best-ever public-university placement. President Marva B. Johnson: “Moving 13 places to No. 79 and rising to the Top 80 among the nation’s public universities is a meaningful achievement.” Still holding it down, just proving it in a different arena this year. Strike, Rattlers, strike. 🐍
Talladega College earned five top distinctions this year, up from three in 2026, including a #1 ranking for Best Value Schools in the South and a climb to #29 (tie) among HBCUs, up from #52. President Willie L. Todd Jr.: “These rankings reflect what is possible when an entire community sets an audacious goal to reimagine liberal arts education for the modern era.”
Virginia Union University moved into the Regional Universities South classification this cycle and climbed more than 30 spots in Social Mobility, to #35 of 148. President Hakim J. Lucas: “It is not simply about where Virginia Union appears in a ranking. It is about whether our students persist, graduate, and leave prepared to compete, earn, and lead.”
Oakwood University picked up three total distinctions in this year’s rankings, continuing its steady presence among the nation’s HBCUs.
And that’s the real story underneath the headline. Not just that one school moved up and one moved down. HBCUs, across the board: private and public, large and small, are showing up in these rankings with some of their best numbers in years. This is what it looks like when legacy, investment, and a whole lot of hard work collide. And we love to see it. ✊🏾
Why Social Mobility Is the Game-Changer
More than half the ranking weight comes down to one thing: student outcomes. Graduation. Affordability. Long-term earnings.
Schools like FAMU, North Carolina Central, and Tuskegee continue to lead here. Real proof that HBCUs remain engines of transformation. Not just for individual students. For entire families and communities.
Vibe Check: Choosing Your HBCU
Rankings are receipts. But the real story is vibe: homecoming energy, cafeteria culture, professors who look out for you, and the community you’ll build for life.
Whether you’re stepping onto The Yard at Howard, watching Aggie Pride hit a whole new level at A&T, or feeling that Spelhouse energy in Atlanta: your HBCU choice is about where you feel at home.
Legacy in Motion
This year’s rankings remind us of what HBCUs have always been: launchpads for Black brilliance.
Wherever you land: Spelman, A&T, FAMU, or anywhere else on this list, know this. You’re not just earning a degree. You’re stepping into history. Carrying legacy. Shaping the future.
That’s the HBCU difference.
That’s legacy in motion. ✊🏾
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📊 Want to see the complete 2027 breakdown, methodology, and beyond the top 25? Visit U.S. News & World Report’s 2027 Best Colleges Rankings.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the #1 HBCU in the U.S. News 2027 rankings?
Spelman College remains the #1 HBCU in the country, the 20th consecutive year it has held the top spot.
Which HBCU is the top-ranked public HBCU in 2027?
North Carolina A&T State University is the new #1 public HBCU, ending Florida A&M University’s seven-year run at the top of that category.
Did the HBCU rankings change a lot this year?
Yes. Nearly every school in the top 25 shifted position from the prior cycle, two schools (Jackson State and Fayetteville State) dropped out of the top 25 entirely, and two new schools (Alcorn State and Norfolk State) entered it for the first time.
How does U.S. News rank HBCUs?
Schools are evaluated using more than a dozen factors, including graduation and retention rates, social mobility (how well a school helps students from lower-income backgrounds), financial resources, and faculty/student ratios. HBCUs are compared only against one another for this specific ranking.
Is Florida A&M University still a top HBCU?
Yes. FAMU is tied for #6 nationally among all HBCUs and posted its best-ever ranking among all public universities nationwide (#79), even while losing its specific “#1 public HBCU” title to NC A&T.
Where can I see the full U.S. News HBCU rankings beyond the top 25?
The complete list is available directly on U.S. News & World Report’s website.
Explore More HBCU Rankings & Resources
- HBCU Rankings Hub
- Forbes HBCU Rankings
- Largest HBCUs by Enrollment
- Most Affordable HBCUs
- Best HBCU Nursing Programs
- HBCU Homecoming Schedule
- HBCU Scholarships
- Full List of HBCU Colleges
- Black Colleges: The Real Different World
Jessica Fraser used to dream of becoming a journalist, and when she studied communication in college she realized that her passion for writing could become her career. As a full time freelance writer, Jessica enjoys helping other teenagers, college students, and young adults pursue their passions and follow their dreams.
