Last month, LinkedIn released its overall Top Colleges ranking for 2025, highlighting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that excel in preparing students for long-term career success.
The survey identified that over 100 HBCUs have historically played a vital role in the U.S. education system, and enrollment numbers at these institutions are rebounding more quickly from pandemic lows compared to other higher education institutions.
Ten HBCUs stand out for their success in preparing graduates for careers: Howard University, Morehouse College, Spelman College, North Carolina A&T State University, Hampton University, Tuskegee University, Florida A&M University, Clark Atlanta University, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Morgan State University.
Notably, six of these institutions have ABET-accredited engineering programs.
ABET accreditation assures that a college or university's program meets the quality standards established by the profession for which it prepares its students. For instance, an accredited engineering program must adhere to the quality standards set forth by the engineering profession.
HBCUs with ABET-accredited programs contribute to at least 30% of all engineering graduates in the United States.
This week, Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) with ABET-accredited engineering programs dominate the top 25 in the latest edition of the U.S. News & World Report's Best Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Rankings.
According to U.S. News, the institutions on this list are currently designated by the U.S. Department of Education as HBCUs.
To qualify for the rankings, an HBCU must be an undergraduate baccalaureate-granting institution that primarily enrolls first-year, first-time students and be included in the 2026 Best Colleges rankings.
Ranked No. 1 is Spelman College, closely followed by Howard University, notable for its top ABET-accredited engineering program.
Furthermore, Howard University holds a prestigious R1 classification from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, recognizing it as a Doctoral University with Very High Research Activity.
This makes Howard the only HBCU to achieve R1 research status, highlighting its significant contributions to research and doctoral production.
Morehouse College is ranked No. 3 in the U.S. News & World Report's latest HBCU Rankings.
Tuskegee University follows at No. 4, with Florida A&M University at No. 5. Xavier University of Louisiana takes the No. 6 spot.
Hampton University is ranked No. 7. North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is No. 8, while Morgan State University is No. 9. Delaware State University rounds out the top 10 at No. 10.
The top 20 list also includes Bowie State University and Virginia State University, which are tied at No. 11, followed by Claflin University at No. 13 and North Carolina Central University at No. 13.
Jackson State University is ranked No. 15, while Clark Atlanta University is No. 16. Dillard University is at No. 17.
Elizabeth City State University, Lincoln University, Prairie View A&M University, and the University of the District of Columbia are all tied at No. 18. Fisk University is ranked No. 22, tying with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Winston-Salem State University.
Finally, Fayetteville State University is ranked No. 25, while Norfolk State University comes in at No. 26.