HBCU Enrollment Continues to Rise, Reaching Historic Heights
New data from the National Center for Education Statistics found that HBCU enrollment increased by 7 percent between 2020 and 2023, compared to a 14 percent increase between 1976 and 2021.
Ashely Christopher, CEO of the HBCU Week Foundation, explained, "Applications are at an all-time high at HBCUs across the board to be honest there's a capacity issue. HBCUs only account for 3 percent of colleges and universities nationwide."
The rise in enrollment that HBCUs are experiencing represents the culmination of several factors.
Part of the increase in applications followed the 2020 George Floyd protests, which raised awareness around violence against black people. According to the LA Times, Morehouse cited that its applicants increased from 2,300 in 2018 to 3,200 following the 2020 protests. For its 2023 freshman class, "Morehouse received 5,200 applications, a 122% increase compared to 2018." Similarly, Howard cited a 175% increase between 2013 and 2023.
The increase in HBCU enrollment is also partly due to programs that aim to increase enrollment and improve graduation rates at HBCUs. The HBCU Transformation Project is one such program and recently received a $124 Million investment from Blue Meridian Partners. Through the project's early stages, historic application and enrollment growth were identified at Claflin University, Norfolk State University, South Carolina State University, and University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Organizations like the Thurgood Marshall Fund and UNCF also play a significant role in continuing to raise funds for their partner HBCUs. Through initiatives like the Walk for Education Campaign, UNCF has doubled the number of minorities attending college. UNCF's scholarships have funded an incredible amount of minorities attending college.
In addition, the Supreme Court's recent ruling striking down affirmative action in college admissions will also impact HBCU enrollment. Administrators at Clark Atlanta University and St. Augustine's University cite expected increases in HBCU enrollment due to the ruling. Dr. George French, President at CAU explains this will further increase the need for additional funding and programming support.
HBCU enrollment shows no signs of slowing down, we can only hope