HBCUs continue to go backwards in the research field according to the latest National Science Foundation data. In 2015, research expenditures for the top 20 HBCUs combined for $425.7 million, while 2017 combines for $424.7 million. Over the past five years, HBCU research expenditures have dropped almost 4.7 percent or a loss of $20.7 million.
- The top ranked HBCU, Howard University, ranked 203rd and the twentieth ranked HBCU, Virginia State University, ranked 325th among America’s college research landscape.
- The MEAC maintains their dominance with eight schools versus the SWAC’s four.
- Division II/III schools also comprise four schools on the list.
- 1890 HBCUs, land-grant universities, dominate the top twenty with eleven of the top HBCU research universities.
- All HBCUs combined account for $537.8 million in research expenditures. There are 45 PWI/HWCUs who have research budgets above this amount individually.
Rank. HBCU. Previous Year In Parentheses.
- Howard University – $45.8 million ($41.0 million)
- Florida A&M University – $37.6 million ($45.4 million)
- N.C. A&T State Univ. – $37.4 million ($33.8 million)
- Morehouse School of Medicine – $36.9 million ($38.8 million)
- Alabama A&M University – $31.7 million ($30.3 million)
- Jackson State University – $22.8 million ($23.8 million)
- Delaware State University – $20.8 million ($21.3 million)
- Tennessee State University – $18.1 million ($19.5 million)
- Meharry Medical College – $16.8 million ($14.8 million)
- Tuskegee University – $16.5 million ($16.5 million)
- Hampton University – $16.6 million ($14.2 million)
- Alcorn State University – $16.1 million ($8.2 million)
- Charles R. Drew University – $15.7 million ($13.4 million)
- Morgan State University – $15.0 million ($15.7 million)
- S.C. State University – $14.3 million ($13.1 million)
- N.C. Central University – $14.1 million ($12.5 million)
- Prairie View A&M University – $14.0 million ($12.6 million)
- Xavier University of LA. – $12.4 million ($12.1 million)
- Langston University – $11.5 million ($11.2 million)
- Virginia State University – $10.8 million ($8.1 million)
TOP 20 COMBINED TOTAL: $424.7 million ($425.7 million)
Additional Notes:
The HWCU-HBCU gap for research among top 20 research institutions is $53:1
Top 20 HWCUs Combined: $22.7 billion ($23.2 billion)
Top 20 Average HWCU – $1.2 billion
Top 20 Average HBCU – $21.2 million
Top 20 Median HWCU – $1.1 billion
Top 20 Median HBCU – $16.5 million
Source: National Science Foundation