The 2027 US News HBCU rankings dropped Tuesday, and the top of the list delivered one streak extended and one streak snapped. Spelman College is No. 1 again. Meanwhile, North Carolina A&T took over as the top public HBCU, ending Florida A&M’s seven-year run.
U.S. News ranked 76 HBCUs this year. On this list, schools only compete against one another. To qualify, a school must hold a Department of Education HBCU designation and enroll mostly first-time, first-year undergrads.
The Top 10 in the 2027 US News HBCU Rankings
- Spelman College
- Howard University
- Tuskegee University
- Morehouse College
- North Carolina A&T State University
- Florida A&M University (tie)
- Hampton University (tie)
- Morgan State University
- Xavier University of Louisiana
- Claflin University
Spelman Makes It 20 Straight
Twenty years. That’s how long Spelman has owned the top spot, which covers every year U.S. News has ranked HBCUs. In fact, the Atlanta women’s college did more than defend its title. According to Spelman’s official announcement, it also ranked No. 2 nationally among top performers in social mobility. Plus, it climbed three spots to No. 34 among national liberal arts colleges.
President Ayanna Howard credited the students, faculty, staff and alumnae behind the run. Still, a streak this long changes the conversation. The question is no longer whether Spelman can hold No. 1. Instead, it’s whether anyone can seriously challenge it.
Howard held steady at No. 2. The numbers explain the staying power. Howard keeps a 13:1 student-faculty ratio, and 43.1% of its classes have fewer than 20 students. Right behind it, Tuskegee moved up from No. 4 to No. 3, while Morehouse landed at No. 4. For Tuskegee, the jump caps a strong rankings week. The Alabama school also cracked the top 10 among colleges in the South.
NC A&T Takes Over as Top Public HBCU
Here’s the headline for the public schools. NC A&T finished No. 5 overall, which makes the Aggies the highest-ranked public HBCU in the country. FAMU had held that title for seven straight years.
FAMU, meanwhile, slipped one spot into a tie with Hampton at No. 6. The drop stings for Rattler fans. However, the full picture looks better. FAMU actually rose to No. 79 among public national universities, up from No. 92 last year. So the school improved nationally while losing ground in the HBCU-only comparison.
For A&T, the moment fits a bigger story. The nation’s largest HBCU built its name on engineering and research output. Now it has the rankings receipt to match. Expect Aggie Pride to be loud on social media all week.
Private schools still dominate the board, taking seven of the top 10 spots. Morgan State gives public HBCUs another top 10 spot at No. 8. After that, Xavier of Louisiana sits at No. 9, and Claflin closes the list at No. 10.
The Biggest Movers Outside the Top 10
The wildest swing came from Talladega College. The Alabama school jumped 52 spots and now sits tied with Alabama State at No. 29. Talladega’s leadership credited a push on financial stability, academics, student success and reputation.
Other Alabama schools made the list too. Oakwood University placed No. 33, Alabama A&M finished No. 35 and Stillman College came in at No. 48.
Elizabeth City State University also climbed. That news lands as ECSU celebrates a decade of enrollment growth. Earlier this year, the Vikings also ranked No. 5 in Niche’s 2027 HBCU list.
The full list includes 76 historically Black colleges and universities. Ties retain their published rankings. Schools in the 69–76 band do not have individual positions within that group.
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spelman College | Atlanta, GA |
| 2 | Howard University | Washington, DC |
| 3 | Tuskegee University | Tuskegee, AL |
| 4 | Morehouse College | Atlanta, GA |
| 5 | North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University | Greensboro, NC |
| 6 (tie) | Florida A&M University | Tallahassee, FL |
| 6 (tie) | Hampton University | Hampton, VA |
| 8 | Morgan State University | Baltimore, MD |
| 9 | Xavier University of Louisiana | New Orleans, LA |
| 10 | Claflin University | Orangeburg, SC |
| 11 (tie) | Elizabeth City State University | Elizabeth City, NC |
| 11 (tie) | Winston-Salem State University | Winston-Salem, NC |
| 13 (tie) | North Carolina Central University | Durham, NC |
| 13 (tie) | Prairie View A&M University | Prairie View, TX |
| 13 (tie) | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | Princess Anne, MD |
| 16 | Delaware State University | Dover, DE |
| 17 (tie) | Clark Atlanta University | Atlanta, GA |
| 17 (tie) | Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) | Lincoln University, PA |
| 17 (tie) | Virginia State University | Virginia State University, VA |
| 20 (tie) | Alcorn State University | Lorman, MS |
| 20 (tie) | Bowie State University | Bowie, MD |
| 20 (tie) | Fisk University | Nashville, TN |
| 23 | Dillard University | New Orleans, LA |
| 24 (tie) | Norfolk State University | Norfolk, VA |
| 24 (tie) | University of the District of Columbia | Washington, DC |
| 26 | Jackson State University | Jackson, MS |
| 27 (tie) | Fayetteville State University | Fayetteville, NC |
| 27 (tie) | Tennessee State University | Nashville, TN |
| 29 (tie) | Alabama State University | Montgomery, AL |
| 29 (tie) | Fort Valley State University | Fort Valley, GA |
| 29 (tie) | Talladega College | Talladega, AL |
| 29 (tie) | Voorhees University | Denmark, SC |
| 33 (tie) | Oakwood University | Huntsville, AL |
| 33 (tie) | University of Arkansas–Pine Bluff | Pine Bluff, AR |
| 35 (tie) | Alabama A&M University | Normal, AL |
| 35 (tie) | Coppin State University | Baltimore, MD |
| 35 (tie) | Huston-Tillotson University | Austin, TX |
| 38 (tie) | Johnson C. Smith University | Charlotte, NC |
| 38 (tie) | South Carolina State University | Orangeburg, SC |
| 40 | Albany State University | Albany, GA |
| 41 | Tougaloo College | Tougaloo, MS |
| 42 | Virginia Union University | Richmond, VA |
| 43 | Grambling State University | Grambling, LA |
| 44 | Bluefield State University | Bluefield, WV |
| 45 (tie) | Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | Cheyney, PA |
| 45 (tie) | Kentucky State University | Frankfort, KY |
| 45 (tie) | Texas Southern University | Houston, TX |
| 48 (tie) | Bethune-Cookman University | Daytona Beach, FL |
| 48 (tie) | Philander Smith College | Little Rock, AR |
| 48 (tie) | Savannah State University | Savannah, GA |
| 48 (tie) | Southern University and A&M College | Baton Rouge, LA |
| 48 (tie) | Stillman College | Tuscaloosa, AL |
| 48 (tie) | West Virginia State University | Institute, WV |
| 54 (tie) | Edward Waters University | Jacksonville, FL |
| 54 (tie) | Wilberforce University | Wilberforce, OH |
| 56 (tie) | Benedict College | Columbia, SC |
| 56 (tie) | Florida Memorial University | Miami, FL |
| 56 (tie) | Livingstone College | Salisbury, NC |
| 59 | Harris-Stowe State University | St. Louis, MO |
| 60 (tie) | Central State University | Wilberforce, OH |
| 60 (tie) | Langston University | Langston, OK |
| 62 (tie) | LeMoyne-Owen College | Memphis, TN |
| 62 (tie) | Lincoln University (Missouri) | Jefferson City, MO |
| 62 (tie) | Mississippi Valley State University | Itta Bena, MS |
| 62 (tie) | Rust College | Holly Springs, MS |
| 66 | Morris College | Sumter, SC |
| 67 | Wiley College | Marshall, TX |
| 68 | Miles College | Birmingham, AL |
| 69–76 | Allen University | Columbia, SC |
| 69–76 | Arkansas Baptist College | Little Rock, AR |
| 69–76 | Jarvis Christian University | Hawkins, TX |
| 69–76 | Lane College | Jackson, TN |
| 69–76 | Saint Augustine’s University | Raleigh, NC |
| 69–76 | Shaw University | Raleigh, NC |
| 69–76 | Southern University at New Orleans | New Orleans, LA |
| 69–76 | Texas College | Tyler, TX |
Source: U.S. News & World Report, 2027 Best HBCU Rankings, as captured September 22, 2026. School names follow the source listing.
Why the 2027 US News HBCU Rankings Shifted So Much
Big jumps usually mean the math changed. This year, U.S. News added a new metric that compares post-graduate earnings by major four years out. That change likely explains some of the dramatic movement, especially for smaller schools like Talladega.
Overall, outcome measures carry more than half the weight in the U.S. News HBCU methodology. Graduation rates, retention and post-grad success matter most. By contrast, reputation plays a smaller role than it once did.
That shift matters for HBCUs. Many of these schools enroll large numbers of Pell Grant and first-generation students. As a result, social mobility scores often help them. Raw graduation rates, on the other hand, can hurt them. The 2027 US News HBCU rankings reflect both sides of that tension.
How This List Compares
U.S. News isn’t the only scoreboard, and the lists don’t always agree. Niche, for example, named FAMU the No. 1 HBCU in America for the second straight year. That ranking leans heavily on student reviews and campus life data.
Forbes, on the other hand, put NC A&T atop its public HBCU list this summer. So the Aggies now own the top public spot on two major lists. That’s a trend, not a fluke.
Meanwhile, the gap between the lists tells families something useful. Different rankings reward different things. Pick the one that measures what you care about most.
What the Rankings Can’t Measure
Rankings are one data point. They can’t measure homecoming weekend, a packed Yard on a Friday afternoon or the professor who checks on a student before grades slip. Families should treat the list as a starting point, not a final answer.
Even so, the list carries real weight. Recruiters, donors and prospective students all watch it. For NC A&T and Talladega, this year’s results give them something to sell. For FAMU, the goal for next fall is simple: take back the top public spot.
