Best historically black colleges and universities in the United States 2022 (2024)

Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are a unique feature of the higher education landscape in the US. They are found mostly in the Southern States.

HBCUs were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to provide higher education for the African American community. This was because, before 1964, African Americans were not permitted to study in the majority of schools.

See Also

Nursing School’s Difficult ReputationTop 7 HBCUs with High Acceptance Rates You Should Apply To - AnanUniversity25 Most Affordable Bachelor's-Granting Historically Black Colleges/Universities - Affordable SchoolsFSU Among the Safest Colleges in the Nation

Get free support to study in the United States

Today, while the students attending HBCUs are predominantly African American, diversity in student bodies has increased over time, with white, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander and Native American students making up a fifth of the population at HBCUs.

Many HBCUs are privateliberal arts universities.

Here is a rundown of all the best HBCUs based on data collected for theTHE/WSJUS College Rankings 2022.

1. Howard University

Howard University is a privateco-educational college in Washington DC. It is categorised by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with high research activity. It is a national leader in studying health disparities among ethnic minorities.

It is particularly well known for the STEM subjects and is seen as a top producer of African American graduates who go on to earn science and engineering doctorates.

Alumni include writer and MacArthur fellow Ta-Nehisi Coates; Kamala Harris, the first African American and first Indian American vice-president of the United States; actor and author Taraji P. Henson; and Nobel- and Pulitzer-winning author Toni Morrison.

2. Spelman College

Spelman College is a privatewomen’s liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia.

Many prominent women have attended Spelman, including Pulitzer prizewinner Alice Walker; the first African American COO of Starbucks and CEO of Sam’s Club, Rosalind Brewer;former dean of Harvard CollegeEvelynn M. Hammonds; and musician, activist and historian Bernice Johnson Reagon.

The Spelman College Museum of Fine Art is dedicated to art by and about women of the African diaspora.

Students at the institution come from 43US states and 13 countries.

Best public universities in the United States
Best liberal arts colleges in the United States
Best private universities in the United States

3. XavierUniversityofLouisiana

XavierUniversityofLouisiana is the only historically black Catholic institution of higher education in the US.

It was established in 1925 in New Orleans.

The campus is sometimes called the “Emerald City” because many of the buildings have green roofs. These include the Library Resource Center, the Living/Learning Centerand Katharine Drexel Hall, which is named after theAmerican heiress, philanthropist,religious sister and educator who wascanonisedin 2000.

Click each institution to view itsWorld University Rankings 2022profile