Best HBCUs 2026
Top Historically Black Colleges and Universities by overall excellence
How this ranking is calculated
Applies the full College Index composite score exclusively to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), celebrating the strongest overall performers within this storied category of American higher education.
Source measurement years vary and may precede the ranking edition. The update date records the published dataset, not when every outcome was measured.
See exact overall weights and a worked exampleWhat drives the score
- All factors from the College Index (academics, value, earnings, safety, etc.)
- Verified HBCU designation on record
Data sources
- All sources used in the College Index composite
- HBCU designation data from federal education databases
This ranking does not compare HBCUs to non-HBCUs — it ranks them among themselves to surface the best overall options within this important group of institutions.
Top 55 hbcus results
Sorted by College Index's hbcus score. The displayed list index rescales the leading score to 100; equal rounded scores may have different sequential ranks.
Howard University
Washington, DC
Spelman College
Atlanta, GA
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Tallahassee, FL
North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro, NC
Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City, NC
Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville, NC
Morehouse College
Atlanta, GA
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee, AL
Albany State University
Albany, GA
Xavier University of Louisiana
New Orleans, LA
Hampton University
Hampton, VA
Morgan State University
Baltimore, MD
Prairie View A & M University
Prairie View, TX
North Carolina Central University
Durham, NC
Bowie State University
Bowie, MD
Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem, NC
Clark Atlanta University
Atlanta, GA
Oakwood University
Huntsville, AL
Savannah State University
Savannah, GA
Norfolk State University
Norfolk, VA
Coppin State University
Baltimore, MD
Claflin University
Orangeburg, SC
Fort Valley State University
Fort Valley, GA
Delaware State University
Dover, DE
Virginia State University
Petersburg, VA
Southern University and A & M College
Baton Rouge, LA
Johnson C Smith University
Charlotte, NC
Alabama A & M University
Normal, AL
Bethune-Cookman University
Daytona Beach, FL
Grambling State University
Grambling, LA
Lincoln University
Lincoln University, PA
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
Pine Bluff, AR
Alcorn State University
Alcorn State, MS
Dillard University
New Orleans, LA
University of the Virgin Islands
Charlotte Amalie, VI
Lincoln University
Jefferson City, MO
Texas Southern University
Houston, TX
Alabama State University
Montgomery, AL
Tennessee State University
Nashville, TN
Jackson State University
Jackson, MS
South Carolina State University
Orangeburg, SC
West Virginia State University
Institute, WV
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Princess Anne, MD
Central State University
Wilberforce, OH
Edward Waters University
Jacksonville, FL
Kentucky State University
Frankfort, KY
Bluefield State University
Bluefield, WV
Benedict College
Columbia, SC
Miles College
Fairfield, AL
Virginia Union University
Richmond, VA
Mississippi Valley State University
Itta Bena, MS
Southern University at New Orleans
New Orleans, LA
Fisk University
Nashville, TN
Huston-Tillotson University
Austin, TX
Florida Memorial University
Miami Gardens, FL