HBCUs and Ranking Bias

For generations, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have played an outsized role in advancing American higher education and social progress. Yet when mainstream ranking systems—U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, QS, Times Higher Education—publish their lists of “top” universities, HBCUs consistently appear far lower than their contributions merit.

The issue is not simply one of prestige. Rankings shape student choices, philanthropic giving, research funding, and even federal and state policy decisions. When HBCUs are systematically undervalued, their students, faculty, alumni, and surrounding communities also lose out.

The Metrics Problem

Most rankings reward wealth and selectivity above all else. Endowment size, alumni giving, faculty research expenditures, and SAT/ACT scores weigh heavily. HBCUs, with smaller endowments and student populations that are often first-generation and lower-income, are penalized. In reality, these metrics reward structural privilege rather than educational value.

Meanwhile, measures of social mobility and student success—where HBCUs excel—are minimized. A 2020 UNCF study found that HBCUs account for just 3% of U.S. colleges and universities but produce nearly 20% of all African American graduates. They also generate a disproportionate number of Black professionals in STEM, law, medicine, and education.

Outcomes That Rankings Overlook

• STEM Impact: According to the National Science Foundation, nearly 25% of African American graduates with STEM bachelor’s degrees earned them at HBCUs.

• Medical and Legal Professions: More than half of African American doctors and lawyers received their undergraduate degrees at HBCUs.

• Economic Mobility: A 2021 Brookings study concluded that HBCUs are “engines of upward mobility,” moving low-income students into higher income brackets at rates equal to or exceeding elite institutions.

These achievements are not just individual successes—they represent broader contributions to economic development, civic engagement, and social justice.

Cultural and Community Value

Rankings also ignore the cultural significance of HBCUs. These institutions have preserved African American traditions, nurtured social movements, and cultivated leadership across politics, business, science, and the arts. From the Civil Rights Movement to today’s political leadership, HBCU alumni have consistently shaped U.S. history.

A Call for Fairer Assessments

If rankings continue to define value in higher education, they must evolve to reflect the realities of institutions serving historically marginalized populations. Metrics should account for:

• Student outcomes relative to resources

• Economic mobility and community impact

• Contributions to diversity in professional fields

• Support for first-generation and Pell Grant recipients

Until then, HBCUs will remain “underrated by the raters”—not because they underperform, but because the measuring stick itself is skewed.

HBCUs should not be judged against a system designed to privilege elite, wealthy, predominantly white institutions. Instead, they should be recognized for what they are: pillars of access, equity, and excellence in American higher education.

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Sources:

• UNCF (2020). HBCUs Make America Strong: The Positive Economic Impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

• Brookings Institution (2021). The Economic Mobility of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

• National Science Foundation (2022). Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering.

• American Council on Education (ACE) reports on HBCU contributions.