Last week LinkedIn released its inaugural Top Colleges rankings of higher education institutions in the United States; among the list was the ranking for the Top 10 HBCUs in the United States. Howard University came in first, followed by Morehouse and Spelman College for the second and third spots. The list is below.
| Rank | University |
| 1 | Howard University |
| 2 | Morehouse College |
| 3 | Spelman College |
| 4 | North Carolina A&T State University |
| 5 | Hampton University |
| 6 | Tuskegee University |
| 7 | Florida A&M University |
| 8 | Clark Atlanta University |
| 9 | Xavier University of Louisiana |
| 10 | Morgan State University |
The ranking recognizes schools that “set graduates up for long-term success,” according to LinkedIn. By analyzing job placement rates, senior-level roles, undergraduate internships, and alumni entrepreneurship, the ranking used LinkedIn data to evaluate alumni career outcomes. Additionally, LinkedIn assessed how soon a recent college graduate obtains employment or enrolls in graduate school. Higher pay and quicker professional advancement are two benefits of receiving a degree from a prestigious institution, according to the company.
“Howard University’s recognition as the top-ranked HBCU by LinkedIn is a powerful testament to the strength of our academic community and the global readiness of our graduates,” said Ben Vinson III, Ph.D., president of Howard University. “It reflects the intentionality behind our holistic model of education—one that combines academic rigor, faculty excellence, and real-world engagement. At Howard, we are cultivating leaders who are not only prepared to meet the challenges of today but are poised to shape the future across industries and around the world.”
LinkedIn's approach assessed U.S. institutions according to five criteria: knowledge breadth, career success, network strength, internships and recruiter demand, and job placement. Additionally, the company also assessed the network strength of each college, considering the level of interconnection among graduating classes. Howard was joined by Hampton University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College as the top five HBCUs in the rankings.
“Graduates of top programs often land jobs sooner, build strong professional networks, and advance into leadership faster,” LinkedIn noted in its website announcement on the rankings. “That’s why it’s so important for prospective students to know which programs are worth the investment.”
The top LinkedIn ranking is the most recent recognition of Howard's excellent record for research, education, and professional growth. Howard received a Research One (R1) designation earlier this year, which is only given to American colleges that have the highest level of active research programs. The American Council on Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching recognized Howard as a top “Opportunity College and University—High Access and High Earnings” for promoting social and economic mobility.
Howard was also ranked as the top HBCU in Forbes' most current rankings of colleges and universities in the U.S. Howard was named the top HBCU for graduate programs in criminal law, constitutional law, dispute resolution, intellectual property law, healthcare law, trial advocacy law, economics, English, fine arts, history, political science, and speech pathology last year by U.S. News and World Report.
Howard was also ranked as the top HBCU for undergraduate programs in business, computer science, economics, engineering, and psychology. Howard's Social Work program ranked #12 out of all graduate programs, which is the highest among HBCUs and universities in the Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia area.
