How does the Clery Act affect Howard University?

The Clery Act (Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act) requires all colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs to disclose crime statistics and security information annually. The data reported here comes directly from the US Department of Education's OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey.

What is a campus safety score?

The safety score divides 2024 on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents by enrollment, per 1,000 students. It does not include arrests, disciplinary referrals, fire records, unreported harm, or nearby crime. Lower scores mean fewer included incidents relative to enrollment. Only nonzero scores at campuses with 500 or more students are ranked; a 0.00 score is left unranked.

Washington, DC · Clery Act 2024 · Private Nonprofit

Howard University

Across 2022–2024, Howard University reported 101 incidents in the Clery Criminal Offenses section, and the yearly count fell over that span (largest filed category: Motor Vehicle Theft). Nearby same-state same-level comparison: American University.

Compiled by PlainCampus , Independent campus-safety data publisher

2.22
Incidents / 1k students: #1,096
Rank of 2,072: #6
DC rank: 14,890
Enrolled students

2.22 reported score-category incidents per 1,000 students

Howard University reports 2.22 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 88% above University of West Florida. Similar-enrollment scored peers: University of West Florida (1.21/1k); University of Nebraska at Omaha (2.00/1k); Arapahoe Community College (0.20/1k); University of North Dakota (1.80/1k); University of Missouri-St Louis (0.68/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes American University (2.19/1k); Georgetown University (3.94/1k); The Catholic University of America (0.57/1k); George Washington University (3.23/1k); University of the District of Columbia (3.57/1k); Trinity Washington University (0.00/1k); Gallaudet University (100.37/1k); University of the Potomac-Washington DC Campus (0.00/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Motor Vehicle Theft.

Data source U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey

incidents / 1,000 students: 2.22
of 2,072 ranked nationally: #1,096
report fewer incidents than this campus: 53%
Criminal Offenses, 2024: 24

What makes up the 2024 headline rate 2.22 per 1,000

Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey

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Data updated August 2026

Clery Act plate

Sheet 131520 · Howard University 2.22/1k score rate · #1,096/2,072

RATE-MID · RANK-LOWER · ST-UPPER · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-DOWN · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-REPORT

RATE-MID 2.22/1k
RANK-LOWER #1,096/2,072
ST-UPPER #6 in state
ABOVE-PEER University of Nebraska at · +0.21
ZERO-NONE Scored
TREND-DOWN ↓ 33%
CAT-LEAD Motor Vehicle Th…
ENR-MID 14,890
FIRE-REPORT 6 fires

Nearest enrollment peer: University of Nebraska at Omaha (-0.21/1k)

Howard University sheet RATE-MID · RANK-LOWER · ST-UPPER · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-DOWN · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-REPORT · peer University of Nebraska at Omaha. Codes from this campus OPE filing: score-category rate, national/state rank, named enrollment peer, zero posture, Criminal Offenses trend, lead category, enrollment band, fire filing. Not a moving recommendation.

Clery plate RATE-MID · RANK-LOWER · ST-UPPER · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-DOWN · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-REPORT. Nearest similar-enrollment peer is University of Nebraska at Omaha (-0.21/1k). National rank #1,096 of 2,072 scored campuses. Instrument codes from this campus OPE sheet; compare similarly sized peers before treating any single rate as decisive.

Arapahoe Community College · lowest peer

0.2
University of West Florida · near

1.21
University of North Dakota · near

1.8
University of Nebraska at · near

2
Howard University · this campus · highest

2.22

What this shows Neighbourhood of similar-enrollment peers around Howard University's 2.22/1k rate, not a full-corpus distribution reprint.

Reporting-period change

What changed in 2024

-17 reported incidents

Howard University decreased from 41 to 24 reported on-campus incidents between the 2023 and 2024 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.

This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.

See national reporting-year changes

Signature insight · size does not equal danger

Campus size vs reported safety rate

Among 15 DC 4-year peers in this comparison, Howard University is larger than 86% and safer-reporting than 36% - the larger, higher-reporting quadrant. Axes are within-sample percentiles so outliers share the same frame; a higher safety percentile means a lower Clery incidents-per-1,000 rate.

Enrollment vs Clery incidents per 1,000 (inverted to safety percentile), 2024 reporting year

Read the chart as text

Point 1: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 79, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 43
Point 2: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 93, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 14
Point 3: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 71, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 50
Point 4: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 100, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 29
Point 5: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 64, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 21
Point 6: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 57, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 57
Point 7: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 50, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 0
Point 8: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 43, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 57
Point 9: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 36, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 57
Point 10: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 29, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 57
Point 11: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 21, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 57
Point 12: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 14, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 57
Point 13: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 7, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 57
Point 14: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 0, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 7
Howard University: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 86, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 36

Read the chart as a table

Campus	Enrollment	Rate / 1k	Size pct	Safety pct
Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family	65	46.15	0	7
Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies	74	0.00	7	57
Institute of World Politics	173	0.00	14	57
Strayer University-District of Columbia	188	0.00	21	57
Wesley Theological Seminary	374	0.00	29	57
The Chicago School at Washington DC	564	0.00	36	57
University of the Potomac-Washington DC Campus	1,241	0.00	43	57
Gallaudet University	1,335	100.37	50	0
Trinity Washington University	1,948	0.00	57	57
University of the District of Columbia	4,202	3.57	64	21
The Catholic University of America	5,243	0.57	71	50
Howard University (this campus)	14,890	2.22	86	36

Sample of 12 campuses from the plot (sorted by enrollment). Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey + IPEDS enrollment. Rate = on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 students; lower is safer-reporting, not a personal-risk forecast.

What changed between 2023 and 2024

Reported on-campus incidents at Howard University fell from 41 to 24 (-41%). The increase shows up in Arson (0 to 2) and Burglary (2 to 4). Falling over the same period: Motor Vehicle Theft (17 to 6), Robbery (12 to 7) and Rape (7 to 3).

This describes reported incidents, not crime. Clery counts move with reporting policy, awareness campaigns and how a campus staffs its security authorities, so a rise can reflect better capture of reports and a fall can reflect worse capture. One year of movement at a single campus is not a trend.

What actually gets reported at Howard University

Across 3 reporting years, on-campus incidents were recorded in 7 Clery Act categories here: Motor Vehicle Theft, Robbery, Burglary, Rape, Aggravated Assault, Arson and Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter.

The remaining 4 categories were reported with no on-campus incidents, Fondling, Incest, Negligent Manslaughter and Statutory Rape. Under the Clery Act that zero is an affirmative report that nothing in the category occurred, not an absence of data, which is why the table below lists those rows rather than dropping them.

Counts describe incidents reported under the Clery Act for the on-campus geography. Reporting practice varies between institutions, so counts are not a direct measure of relative safety.

Crime Statistics by Year

11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus only

Read the chart as text

Period	On-campus incidents
2022	36
2023	41
2024	24

Crime Type	2024	2023	2022
Motor Vehicle Theft	6	17	3
Robbery	7	12	7
Burglary	4	2	11
Rape	3	7	6
Aggravated Assault	2	2	9
Arson	2	0	0
Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter	0	1	0
Fondling	0	0	0
Incest	0	0	0
Negligent Manslaughter	0	0	0
Statutory Rape	0	0	0

Source: US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Table figures show the Criminal Offenses section; other Clery tables are separate

Fire Safety

Year	Fires	Inj.	Deaths	Cat I	Cat II
2024	6	0	0	0	0

Arrests & Disciplinary Actions

27 category-year records

27 reported records

Category	Year	Arrests	Discipline
Drugs	2024	0	0
Drugs	2024	0	0
Drugs	2024	0	0
Liquor	2024	0	0
Liquor	2024	0	0
Liquor	2024	0	0
Weapons	2024	0	0
Weapons	2024	0	0
Weapons	2024	0	0
Drugs	2023	0	0
Drugs	2023	0	0
Drugs	2023	0	0
Liquor	2023	0	0
Liquor	2023	0	0
Liquor	2023	0	0
Weapons	2023	0	0
Weapons	2023	0	0
Weapons	2023	0	0
Drugs	2022	0	0
Drugs	2022	0	0

Howard University vs peer institutions

Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment

Scores are $2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer in those categories).

Selected

Howard University

2.22 incidents / 1,000 students

National rank: #1,096
Enrollment: 14,890
Data year: 2024

University of West Florida

1.21 incidents / 1,000 students

National rank: #740
Enrollment: 14,822
Data year: 2024

University of Nebraska at Omaha

2.00 incidents / 1,000 students

National rank: #1,033
Enrollment: 14,972
Data year: 2024

Cost context

Where Howard University sits on price and outcomes

See District of Columbia's cost ranking

At $50,539, Howard University's reported average net price is cheaper than 91% among 11 District of Columbia colleges with a reported figure. The state median is $29,561.

$50,539
average net price: $29,561
District of Columbia median: 1.9×
six-year earnings to median debt: $8,219
reported income-bracket spread

Price barely responds to income at this institution. Families under $30,000 report $46,051 and those above $110,000 report $54,270, a difference of just $8,219. Where the curve is this flat, need-based aid is doing little of the work and the sticker figure is close to what most families actually pay.

Median earnings six years after entry ($47,379) are less than one year of the reported net price. That is a thin margin, and it is the figure worth pressing the school on before enrolling.

Average net price reflects grant and scholarship aid for aided students, not a personal offer. Earnings cover former students who received federal aid; neither measure predicts an individual's outcome.

Academic & Financial Profile

Tuition & Costs

In-State Tuition: $35,810
Out-of-State Tuition: $35,810
Avg Net Price: $50,539
Median Debt: $24,500
Pell Grant Recipients: 40%

How does this cost rank in DC? →

Admissions

Acceptance Rate: 41%
SAT Average: 1213
SAT Math Range: 530-650
ACT Average: 24
ACT Range: 22-28

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate: 69%
Retention Rate: 91%
Median Earnings (6yr): $47,379
Median Earnings (10yr): $63,066
Loan Repayment (3yr): 45%

Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.

Similar Institutions

Showing 5 of 609 similar institutions by enrollment size.

University of West Florida

Pensacola, FL · 14,822 enrolled

Safety Score 1.21

University of Nebraska at Omaha

Omaha, NE · 14,972 enrolled

Safety Score 2.00

Arapahoe Community College

Littleton, CO · 15,012 enrolled

Safety Score 0.20

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, ND · 15,019 enrolled

Safety Score 1.80

University of Missouri-St Louis

Saint Louis, MO · 14,736 enrolled

Safety Score 0.68

Closest by National Rank

Howard University (national rank #1096) sits near Bethel University (#1097) and Lehigh University (#1095) on the scored national list, nearest by rank, not by size or state.

Pepperdine University

Malibu, CA

National Rank #1099

Nationwide campuses with similar scale or Clery rate

Two Clery-derived peer sets for Howard University, both outside DC so the neighborhoods are not state containment (Similar Institutions and national-rank neighbors above stay enrollment- or rank-based).

Similar enrollment (nationwide)

University of West Florida

Pensacola, FL · 14,822 enrolled

Safety score 1.21

University of Nebraska at Omaha

Omaha, NE · 14,972 enrolled

Safety score 2.00

Arapahoe Community College

Littleton, CO · 15,012 enrolled

Safety score 0.20

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, ND · 15,019 enrolled

Safety score 1.80

University of Missouri-St Louis

Saint Louis, MO · 14,736 enrolled

Safety score 0.68

University of Missouri-Kansas City

Kansas City, MO · 14,732 enrolled

Safety score 5.23

Western Washington University

Bellingham, WA · 14,710 enrolled

Safety score 2.86

Bellevue University

Bellevue, NE · 14,667 enrolled

Safety score 0.00

Similar 2024 Clery rate (nationwide)

Bethel University

Saint Paul, MN · 3,603 enrolled

Safety score 2.22

Drexel University

Philadelphia, PA · 21,153 enrolled

Safety score 2.22

Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA · 7,692 enrolled

Safety score 2.21

Pepperdine University

Malibu, CA · 8,976 enrolled

Safety score 2.23

Kent State University at Kent

Kent, OH · 26,374 enrolled

Safety score 2.20

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, MO · 6,826 enrolled

Safety score 2.20

Geneva College

Beaver Falls, PA · 1,366 enrolled

Safety score 2.20

Rutgers University-New Brunswick

New Brunswick, NJ · 52,269 enrolled

Safety score 2.24

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Howard University safe?

Howard University has a safety score of 2.22 (2024 on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #1,096 nationally out of 2,072 ranked institutions - nearest similar-enrollment comparison: University of West Florida (1.21/1k). Same-state same-level set: American University (2.19/1k); Georgetown University (3.94/1k); The Catholic University of America (0.57/1k); George Washington University (3.23/1k); University of the District of Columbia (3.57/1k); Trinity Washington University (0.00/1k); Gallaudet University (100.37/1k); University of the Potomac-Washington DC Campus (0.00/1k).

What crimes are reported at Howard University?

For calendar year 2024, Howard University reported Robbery (7), Motor Vehicle Theft (6), Burglary (4), Rape (3) and Aggravated Assault (2), and 1 further category in the Criminal Offenses section. Every other category in that section was reported at zero; other Clery tables are separate.

How does Howard University compare to similar schools?

Howard University reports 88% more 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 than University of West Florida. Scored similar-enrollment peers on this page: University of West Florida (1.21/1k); University of Nebraska at Omaha (2.00/1k); Arapahoe Community College (0.20/1k); University of North Dakota (1.80/1k); University of Missouri-St Louis (0.68/1k). Same-state same-level set: American University (2.19/1k); Georgetown University (3.94/1k); The Catholic University of America (0.57/1k); George Washington University (3.23/1k); University of the District of Columbia (3.57/1k); Trinity Washington University (0.00/1k); Gallaudet University (100.37/1k); University of the Potomac-Washington DC Campus (0.00/1k).

Does Howard University have fire safety data?

Yes. Howard University reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. 6 fires were reported in the most recent year.

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.

Howard University

Peer-rate neighbourhood around Howard University

What changed in 2024

Campus size vs reported safety rate

What changed between 2023 and 2024

What actually gets reported at Howard University

Crime Statistics by Year

Howard University: Criminal Offenses by year

Fire Safety

Arrests & Disciplinary Actions

Howard University vs peer institutions

Howard University

University of West Florida

University of Nebraska at Omaha

Where Howard University sits on price and outcomes

Academic & Financial Profile

Tuition & Costs

Admissions

Outcomes

Similar Institutions

Closest by National Rank

Nationwide campuses with similar scale or Clery rate

Similar enrollment (nationwide)

Similar 2024 Clery rate (nationwide)

Frequently Asked Questions