Howard University ABA 509 Report
The 2025 Standard 509 disclosure for Howard University, laid out by section: admissions, costs, aid, conditional scholarships, enrolment, bar passage and class composition.
Howard University's 2025 Standard 509 disclosure reports that 2,428 applicants received 584 offers (24.1%), the entering class had a median LSAT of 156, the median grant was $23,657 per year, the first-time bar passage rate was 78.0%.
What this is. Every figure below comes from the school's own Standard 509 filing to the ABA, as published in the public disclosure data. Tables follow the report's own sections rather than a reorganisation by topic, so you can line each number up against the original. Where a school did not report a figure, it saysnot reported — nothing here is filled in with an average or an estimate. How to read these numbers →
Washington, District of Columbia · Report year 2025 · all Howard University data →
Admissions
Applications, offers and enrolment for the entering class, plus the LSAT and GPA percentiles of the students who matriculated.
Source: Standard 509(b)(1)
| Completed applications | 2,428 |
|---|---|
| Offers of admission | 584 |
| Acceptance rate | 24.1% |
| Enrollees from the applicant pool | 170 |
| Enrolled in the first-year class | 177 |
| First-year class size | 176 |
| LSAT 25th percentile | 153 |
| LSAT median | 156 |
| LSAT 75th percentile | 160 |
| Undergraduate GPA 25th percentile | 3.4 |
| Undergraduate GPA median | 3.63 |
| Undergraduate GPA 75th percentile | 3.8 |
| Students who submitted LSAT scores | 176 |
| Students who submitted GRE scores | 0 |
How Howard University compares within District of Columbia
Among the 6 law schools in District of Columbia that report acceptance rate, Howard University has the 5th highest.
The 6 law schools in District of Columbia, ordered by acceptance rate. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | Acceptance rate | Median LSAT | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of District of Columbia | 37.0% | 151 | 749 |
| American University | 33.3% | 162 | 5,952 |
| Catholic University of America, The | 32.4% | 161 | 1,867 |
| George Washington University, The | 27.2% | 168 | 9,718 |
| Howard University ← this school | 24.1% | 156 | 2,428 |
| Georgetown University | 15.8% | 171 | 13,924 |
Tuition, fees and living costs
What the school charges and what it estimates students will spend living.
Source: Standard 509(b)(2)
| Tuition (annual, full-time) | $39,780 |
|---|---|
| Non-resident tuition (annual) | $39,780 |
| Tuition reporting basis | annual |
| Per credit hour | not reported |
| Mandatory fees (full-time) | $1,632 |
| Living on campus | $38,251 |
| Living off campus | $38,251 |
| Tuition guarantee | no |
How Howard University compares within District of Columbia
Among the 6 law schools in District of Columbia that report annual tuition, Howard University has the 5th highest.
The 6 law schools in District of Columbia, ordered by annual tuition. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | Annual tuition | Living off campus |
|---|---|---|
| Georgetown University | $83,576 | $33,905 |
| George Washington University, The | $75,420 | $25,240 |
| American University | $66,990 | $33,832 |
| Catholic University of America, The | $61,580 | $32,374 |
| Howard University ← this school | $39,780 | $38,251 |
| University of District of Columbia | $12,438 | $34,035 |
Grants and scholarships awarded
The share of students receiving grant aid, the size of those awards, and how they are distributed across the four funding bands.
Source: Standard 509(b)(2)
| Students receiving grant aid | 48.0% |
|---|---|
| Median grant (per year) | $23,657 |
| 25th percentile grant | $10,037 |
| 75th percentile grant | $32,364 |
| Half tuition or less | 18.0% |
| Above half, below full | 25.0% |
| Full tuition | 5.0% |
| Above full tuition | 0.0% |
How Howard University compares within District of Columbia
Among the 6 law schools in District of Columbia that report median grant, Howard University has the 5th highest.
The 6 law schools in District of Columbia, ordered by median grant. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | Median grant | % receiving aid |
|---|---|---|
| American University | $40,000 | 59.0% |
| Georgetown University | $35,000 | 61.0% |
| George Washington University, The | $28,000 | 77.0% |
| Catholic University of America, The | $26,000 | 99.0% |
| Howard University ← this school | $23,657 | 48.0% |
| University of District of Columbia | $8,292 | 70.0% |
Conditional scholarships
Awards that must be re-earned each year. The retention figure is the share that kept the award after review.
Source: Standard 509(b)(3)
| Offers conditional scholarships | yes |
|---|---|
| Entering with a conditional award (2024) | 261 |
| Kept the award after year one | 100.0% |
| Award reduced or eliminated | 0 |
How Howard University compares within District of Columbia
Among the 2 law schools in District of Columbia that report retention rate, Howard University has the highest.
The 6 law schools in District of Columbia, ordered by retention rate. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | Retention rate | Entering with award |
|---|---|---|
| Howard University ← this school | 100.0% | 261 |
| Catholic University of America, The | 73.3% | 45 |
| American University | — | — |
| George Washington University, The | — | — |
| Georgetown University | — | — |
| University of District of Columbia | — | — |
Enrollment
How many students the school enrolled, and how that breaks down by degree.
Source: Standard 509(b)(4)
| Total students enrolled | 555 |
|---|---|
| JD students (all years) | 555 |
| First-year JD students | 177 |
| Non-JD students | 0 |
| First-year class size | 176 |
How Howard University compares within District of Columbia
Among the 6 law schools in District of Columbia that report jd students, Howard University has the 4th highest.
The 6 law schools in District of Columbia, ordered by jd students. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | JD students | First-year JD |
|---|---|---|
| Georgetown University | 2,266 | 675 |
| George Washington University, The | 1,728 | 612 |
| American University | 1,199 | 413 |
| Howard University ← this school | 555 | 177 |
| Catholic University of America, The | 432 | 182 |
| University of District of Columbia | 236 | 90 |
Bar passage
First-time passage is the share passing on the first attempt; ultimate passage counts retakes over two years.
Source: Standard 509(b)(8)
| First-time takers | 141 |
|---|---|
| First-time passers | 110 |
| First-time passage rate | 78.0% |
| Ultimate passage rate (2023) | 93.8% |
| Ultimate passage rate (2024) | 88.5% |
How Howard University compares within District of Columbia
Among the 6 law schools in District of Columbia that report first-time rate, Howard University has the 5th highest.
The 6 law schools in District of Columbia, ordered by first-time rate. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | First-time rate | Ultimate rate |
|---|---|---|
| Georgetown University | 94.5% | 96.5% |
| Catholic University of America, The | 90.4% | 92.8% |
| George Washington University, The | 87.7% | 97.4% |
| American University | 86.6% | 92.4% |
| Howard University ← this school | 78.0% | 88.5% |
| University of District of Columbia | 57.9% | 69.2% |
Entering class composition
Race and gender of the entering class, as reported by the school. Categories follow the school's own reporting.
Source: Standard 509(b)(1)
| Students in the entering class | 176 |
|---|---|
| White | 0 |
| Black | 143 |
| Hispanic | 16 |
| Asian | 3 |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 0 |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 |
| Multiracial | 14 |
| Race not reported | 0 |
| Men | 48 |
| Women | 121 |
| Another gender | 7 |
| Gender not reported | 0 |
Where to go next
- Admissions funnel — applications through to enrolment, with yield rates
- Cost of attendance — three-year totals, and what aid changes
- Financial aid breakdown — the four funding bands in detail
- Bar passage — first-time and ultimate rates
- Employment outcomes — where graduates went
- Scholarship calculator — what your own LSAT and GPA would place you in
Common questions
What does the Howard University 509 report show?
Howard University's 2025 Standard 509 disclosure reports that 2,428 applicants received 584 offers (24.1%), the entering class had a median LSAT of 156, the median grant was $23,657 per year, the first-time bar passage rate was 78.0%.
How does Howard University compare with other law schools in District of Columbia?
Among the 6 law schools in District of Columbia that report acceptance rate, Howard University has the 5th highest.
How many applicants did Howard University receive, and how many were admitted?
Howard University received 2,428 completed applications and issued 584 offers of admission, an acceptance rate of 24.1%.
What is the tuition and grant aid at Howard University?
For Howard University, in-state tuition is $39,780 per year, off-campus living costs are estimated at $38,251, the median grant is $23,657 per year, 48% of students receive grant aid.
What is the bar passage rate at Howard University?
Howard University had a first-time bar passage rate of 78.0% across 141 takers in the most recent cycle. The two-year ultimate passage rate was 88.5%.