List of HBCUs: All 107 Schools by State

HBCU graduates celebrating at commencement

If you are researching a list of HBCUs, the short answer is that the U.S. Department of Education recognizes 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, spread across 19 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. They range from small private colleges founded before the Civil War to large public research universities, and today they welcome students of every race. Below you will find the full list organized by state, plus the context that makes it easier to read: what qualifies a school as an HBCU, where they cluster, and which ones stand out.

What Makes a College an HBCU

The letters HBCU stand for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. These are schools founded on the belief that every student deserves access to higher education, most of them established when segregation shut Black Americans out of existing institutions. The definition is not informal. The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, defines an HBCU as any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of Black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency. That accreditation requirement is why the official count is a fixed number rather than an open list, and it is why a school founded to serve Black students after 1964 does not automatically qualify.

How Many HBCUs Are There Today

Graduates at a Historically Black College commencement ceremony — HBCUs enroll more than 228,000 students nationwide

The Department of Education has given the HBCU label to 107 schools, both public and private, and together they enroll more than 228,000 students. The mix is close to even between the two types: of the institutions counted in a recent tally, roughly 52 were public and 49 were private not-for-profit schools. The list is not limited to four-year universities either. It includes two-year public community colleges, several medical schools such as Morehouse School of Medicine and Meharry Medical College, and law schools like the Southern University Law Center. You can confirm the current enrollment figures through the National Center for Education Statistics, which tracks HBCU data year to year.

The Full List of HBCUs by State

Here is the complete list of HBCUs, grouped by state and territory. Each entry notes whether the school is public or private and whether it is a two-year or four-year institution, so you can see at a glance what kind of school it is before you dig deeper.

State	School	Type	Location
Alabama	Alabama A&M University	Public, 4 Year	Normal, AL
Alabama	Alabama State University	Public, 4 Year	Montgomery, AL
Alabama	Bishop State Community College	Public, 2 Year	Mobile, AL
Alabama	Gadsden State Community College	Public, 2 Year	Gadsden, AL
Alabama	H. Councill Trenholm State Community College	Public, 2 Year	Montgomery, AL
Alabama	J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College	Public, 2 Year	Huntsville, AL
Alabama	Lawson State Community College	Public, 2 Year	Birmingham, AL
Alabama	Miles College	Private, 4 Year	Fairfield, AL
Alabama	Oakwood University	Private, 4 Year	Huntsville, AL
Alabama	Selma University	Private, 4 Year	Selma, AL
Alabama	Shelton State Community College	Public, 2 Year	Tuscaloosa, AL
Alabama	Stillman College	Private, 4 Year	Tuscaloosa, AL
Alabama	Talladega College	Private, 4 Year	Talladega, AL
Alabama	Tuskegee University	Private, 4 Year	Tuskegee, AL
Arkansas	Arkansas Baptist College	Private, 4 Year	Little Rock, AR
Arkansas	Philander Smith University	Private, 4 Year	Little Rock, AR
Arkansas	Shorter College	Private, 2 Year	North Little Rock, AR
Arkansas	University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff	Public, 4 Year	Pine Bluff, AR
California	Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science	Private, 4 Year	Los Angeles, CA
Delaware	Delaware State University	Public, 4 Year	Dover, DE
District of Columbia	Howard University	Private, 4 Year	Washington, DC
District of Columbia	University of the District of Columbia	Public, 4 Year	Washington, DC
Florida	Bethune-Cookman University	Private, 4 Year	Daytona Beach, FL
Florida	Edward Waters University	Private, 4 Year	Jacksonville, FL
Florida	Florida A&M University	Public, 4 Year	Tallahassee, FL
Florida	Florida Memorial University	Private, 4 Year	Miami Gardens, FL
Georgia	Albany State University	Public, 4 Year	Albany, GA
Georgia	Clark Atlanta University	Private, 4 Year	Atlanta, GA
Georgia	Fort Valley State University	Public, 4 Year	Fort Valley, GA
Georgia	Interdenominational Theological Center	Private, 4 Year	Atlanta, GA
Georgia	Morehouse College	Private, 4 Year	Atlanta, GA
Georgia	Morehouse School of Medicine	Private, 4 Year	Atlanta, GA
Georgia	Morris Brown College	Private, 4 Year	Atlanta, GA
Georgia	Paine College	Private, 4 Year	Augusta, GA
Georgia	Savannah State University	Public, 4 Year	Savannah, GA
Georgia	Spelman College	Private, 4 Year	Atlanta, GA
Kentucky	Kentucky State University	Public, 4 Year	Frankfort, KY
Kentucky	Simmons College of Kentucky	Private, 4 Year	Louisville, KY
Louisiana	Dillard University	Private, 4 Year	New Orleans, LA
Louisiana	Grambling State University	Public, 4 Year	Grambling, LA
Louisiana	Southern University and A&M College	Public, 4 Year	Baton Rouge, LA
Louisiana	Southern University at New Orleans	Public, 4 Year	New Orleans, LA
Louisiana	Southern University at Shreveport	Public, 2 Year	Shreveport, LA
Louisiana	Southern University Law Center	Public, 4 Year	Baton Rouge, LA
Louisiana	Xavier University of Louisiana	Private, 4 Year	New Orleans, LA
Maryland	Bowie State University	Public, 4 Year	Bowie, MD
Maryland	Coppin State University	Public, 4 Year	Baltimore, MD
Maryland	Morgan State University	Public, 4 Year	Baltimore, MD
Maryland	University of Maryland Eastern Shore	Public, 4 Year	Princess Anne, MD
Mississippi	Alcorn State University	Public, 4 Year	Lorman, MS
Mississippi	Coahoma Community College	Public, 2 Year	Clarksdale, MS
Mississippi	Hinds Community College at Utica	Public, 2 Year	Utica, MS
Mississippi	Jackson State University	Public, 4 Year	Jackson, MS
Mississippi	Mississippi Valley State University	Public, 4 Year	Itta Bena, MS
Mississippi	Rust College	Private, 4 Year	Holly Springs, MS
Mississippi	Tougaloo College	Private, 4 Year	Tougaloo, MS
Missouri	Harris-Stowe State University	Public, 4 Year	St. Louis, MO
Missouri	Lincoln University of Missouri	Public, 4 Year	Jefferson City, MO
North Carolina	Barber-Scotia College	Private, 4 Year	Concord, NC
North Carolina	Bennett College	Private, 4 Year	Greensboro, NC
North Carolina	Elizabeth City State University	Public, 4 Year	Elizabeth City, NC
North Carolina	Fayetteville State University	Public, 4 Year	Fayetteville, NC
North Carolina	Johnson C. Smith University	Private, 4 Year	Charlotte, NC
North Carolina	Livingstone College	Private, 4 Year	Salisbury, NC
North Carolina	North Carolina A&T State University	Public, 4 Year	Greensboro, NC
North Carolina	North Carolina Central University	Public, 4 Year	Durham, NC
North Carolina	Saint Augustine’s University	Private, 4 Year	Raleigh, NC
North Carolina	Shaw University	Private, 4 Year	Raleigh, NC
North Carolina	Winston-Salem State University	Public, 4 Year	Winston-Salem, NC
Ohio	Central State University	Public, 4 Year	Wilberforce, OH
Ohio	Payne Theological Seminary	Private, 4 Year	Wilberforce, OH
Ohio	Wilberforce University	Private, 4 Year	Wilberforce, OH
Oklahoma	Langston University	Public, 4 Year	Langston, OK
Pennsylvania	Cheyney University of Pennsylvania	Public, 4 Year	Cheyney, PA
Pennsylvania	Lincoln University	Public, 4 Year	Lincoln University, PA
South Carolina	Allen University	Private, 4 Year	Columbia, SC
South Carolina	Benedict College	Private, 4 Year	Columbia, SC
South Carolina	Claflin University	Private, 4 Year	Orangeburg, SC
South Carolina	Clinton College	Private, 2 Year	Rock Hill, SC
South Carolina	Denmark Technical College	Public, 2 Year	Denmark, SC
South Carolina	Morris College	Private, 4 Year	Sumter, SC
South Carolina	South Carolina State University	Public, 4 Year	Orangeburg, SC
South Carolina	Voorhees University	Private, 4 Year	Denmark, SC
Tennessee	American Baptist College	Private, 4 Year	Nashville, TN
Tennessee	Fisk University	Private, 4 Year	Nashville, TN
Tennessee	Knoxville College	Private, 4 Year	Knoxville, TN
Tennessee	Lane College	Private, 4 Year	Jackson, TN
Tennessee	LeMoyne-Owen College	Private, 4 Year	Memphis, TN
Tennessee	Meharry Medical College	Private, 4 Year	Nashville, TN
Tennessee	Tennessee State University	Public, 4 Year	Nashville, TN
Texas	Huston-Tillotson University	Private, 4 Year	Austin, TX
Texas	Jarvis Christian University	Private, 4 Year	Hawkins, TX
Texas	Paul Quinn College	Private, 4 Year	Dallas, TX
Texas	Prairie View A&M University	Public, 4 Year	Prairie View, TX
Texas	Southwestern Christian College	Private, 4 Year	Terrell, TX
Texas	St. Philip’s College	Public, 2 Year	San Antonio, TX
Texas	Texas College	Private, 4 Year	Tyler, TX
Texas	Texas Southern University	Public, 4 Year	Houston, TX
Texas	Wiley University	Private, 4 Year	Marshall, TX
Virginia	Hampton University	Private, 4 Year	Hampton, VA
Virginia	Norfolk State University	Public, 4 Year	Norfolk, VA
Virginia	Virginia State University	Public, 4 Year	Petersburg, VA
Virginia	Virginia Union University	Private, 4 Year	Richmond, VA
Virginia	Virginia University of Lynchburg	Private, 4 Year	Lynchburg, VA
West Virginia	Bluefield State University	Public, 4 Year	Bluefield, WV
West Virginia	West Virginia State University	Public, 4 Year	Institute, WV
U.S. Virgin Islands	University of the Virgin Islands	Public, 4 Year	St. Thomas and St. Croix, VI

States With the Most HBCUs

Map showing the locations of HBCUs across the United States — Most HBCUs sit in the southeastern United States

The list is not evenly spread. Far more HBCUs sit in the southeastern United States than anywhere else, a direct reflection of where the Black population was concentrated when these schools were founded. A handful of states carry the bulk of the total:

Alabama has the most HBCUs of any state, with 14. Nine are four-year universities and five are two-year community colleges.
North Carolina follows with 12, including some of the oldest schools in the South.
Georgia is close behind with 10, anchored by the Atlanta cluster of Spelman, Morehouse, and Clark Atlanta.
Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee each have seven, spread between public and private institutions.
A few states hold just one HBCU, including California, Delaware, and Oklahoma, and one sits outside the mainland entirely in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Black Ivy League

Within the full list, a small group of schools has long carried an outsized reputation for academic prestige and influential alumni. They are informally known as the Black Ivy League, and knowing them helps you read the list with a sense of hierarchy. The original members are:

Dillard University (New Orleans, LA)
Fisk University (Nashville, TN)
Hampton University (Hampton, VA)
Howard University (Washington, DC)
Morehouse College (Atlanta, GA)
Spelman College (Atlanta, GA)
Tuskegee University (Tuskegee, AL)

Several of these campuses are also known for their vibrant yard culture, where Greek organizations gather and step, and many students weigh the best HBCUs for Greek life alongside pure academic rankings when they choose.

The Largest and Highest-Ranked HBCUs

Prestige and size are not the same thing, and the list separates the two. By enrollment, North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro is the largest HBCU in the country, followed by Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. Both are public four-year schools with sprawling student bodies. Rankings tell a different story. U.S. News and World Report has named Spelman College, the private women’s liberal arts college in Atlanta, the number one HBCU in the nation, a spot it has held consistently. If you are scanning the list for a starting point, those three names are a reasonable place to begin, though the right fit depends far more on your intended major and the campus you connect with.

Notable Firsts in HBCU History

A few schools on the list carry historical weight that is worth knowing. Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1837 by Quaker philanthropist Richard Humphreys as the Institute for Colored Youth, is generally recognized as the first HBCU. Lincoln University, also in Pennsylvania and once known as the Ashmun Institute, was the first HBCU to grant college degrees. Wilberforce University in Ohio, founded in 1856, holds a distinction of its own as the first college owned and operated entirely by African Americans. Shaw University in Raleigh, founded in 1865, is often cited as the oldest HBCU in the South. These founding stories are part of why the list reads less like a directory and more like a record of how Black higher education was built from the ground up.

Choosing From the List

A list of 107 schools can feel like a lot to sort through, but the categories above give you handles to grab. Filter first by state if location matters, then by type if you want a four-year university versus a two-year community college, then by reputation if a marquee name like Howard, Spelman, or North Carolina A&T is what you are after. The Divine Nine Black fraternities and sororities were founded on many of these campuses, so if Greek life is part of the appeal, that history is worth factoring in too. Whichever way you narrow it, every school here shares the same founding purpose, and that shared history is what makes an HBCU degree carry the meaning it does.

Common Questions About HBCUs

What is the number one HBCU in America?
U.S. News and World Report ranks Spelman College, a private women’s liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia, as the top HBCU in the nation.

What are the largest HBCUs?
North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro has the highest enrollment of any HBCU, followed by Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. Both are public four-year universities.

Which state has the most HBCUs?
Alabama leads with 14 HBCUs, followed by North Carolina with 12 and Georgia with 10.

Are HBCUs only for Black students?
No. HBCUs were founded to educate Black Americans when other schools would not admit them, but today they enroll students of every race and background.

How many HBCUs are there in total?
The U.S. Department of Education recognizes 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, enrolling more than 228,000 students across 19 states, Washington DC, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.