Applications to public historically Black colleges and universities have skyrocketed 126% since 2004—far outpacing national trends—even as these institutions struggle with endowments that are a third the size of their private HBCU counterparts, according to a new report released Thursday.
Dr. M. C. Brown II
The report from the Dr. N. Joyce Payne Research Center at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund represents the most comprehensive data-driven analysis to date of public HBCUs' contributions to national competitiveness.
"The data is clear and the message is urgent: public HBCUs are not just educational institutions; they are strategic national assets," said Dr. M. C. Brown II, executive director of the Payne Center and lead author of the report. "We are leaving immense national potential on the table by not addressing the resource inequities that have persisted for decades."
Public HBCUs account for 80% of all ABET-accredited engineering programs among HBCUs and represent 85% of HBCUs classified as high-research-activity institutions, the report found. These schools educate 80% of all HBCU students nationwide while receiving disproportionately less federal support per student than private HBCUs.
Nearly 70% of public HBCU graduates reach middle-class status or above—a mobility rate approximately 50% higher than graduates from predominantly white institutions, according to the analysis. Seven of the top 10 HBCUs with the highest economic mobility rates are public institutions.
Yet the average public HBCU maintains an endowment of $41 million, compared to $133 million for private HBCUs, despite serving three times as many undergraduate students. The funding disparity extends to federal allocations, with public HBCUs educating 80% of HBCU students but receiving only 30% of federal HBCU funding.
The application surge comes as enrollment at public HBCUs declined 16% after 2011, suggesting unmet demand driven by capacity constraints rather than lack of interest.
"Where we invest defines our future," said Dr. Harry L. Williams, president and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. "To secure the 'American Dividend'—a more competitive, innovative and prosperous nation—we must strategically and equitably invest in the public HBCUs that are already delivering exceptional returns."
The report also documents concerning trends in financial aid access. Pell Grant recipients at public HBCUs declined 10% between 2010 and 2023, threatening these institutions' role as pathways for low-income students despite their proven track record of fostering upward mobility.
Public HBCU graduates who received federal aid carry a median debt of $25,201—lower than the $28,329 median for private HBCU graduates—while earning comparable salaries, with median earnings of $38,544 within six years of initial enrollment.
The analysis calls for policy interventions including expanded Pell Grant eligibility, equitable federal and state funding formulas, increased research investment and dedicated capital improvement funds to address deferred maintenance and capacity constraints.
"The American Dividend" is the fifth major publication from the Payne Center and draws on data from the U.S. Department of Education, ABET, the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education and other authoritative sources spanning two decades.
