Black students are enrolling at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) at historic rates.

The Root reports that Black students nationwide are prioritizing HBCUs, a shift that follows the dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and programs across the education landscape. In 2023 specifically, the Supreme Court ended affirmative action in higher education, as AFROTECH™ previously reported.

HBCUs that are seeing soaring numbers as a result include North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, which had more than 15,000 students enrolled in fall 2025 — nearly 1,000 more enrolled than the previous year, according to a press release. This marked the HBCU’s largest single year of growth (6.7%). It was also the university’s 12th consecutive year of growth, Chancellor James R. Martin II said in the release.

“The 2025-26 student body reaffirms our commitment to the people of North Carolina, our national appeal and impact as an exponential, doctoral research HBCU and the promise that North Carolina A&T holds for students around the world,” said Martin. “We embrace the opportunity to prepare them for a world undergoing seismic knowledge and technology shifts and to guide their development as individuals, ready for lives of achievement and meaning.”

Morehouse College shared in a press release that its 2028 class will mark a record for its enrollment as well, with more than 2,500 students averaging a 3.7 GPA. There were more than 7,000 applications from students looking to attend one of the top HBCUs in the country.

Other universities that have reported enrollment growth in recent years, per The Root, include:

  • Albany State University
  • Jackson State University
  • Southern University and A&M College
  • Fayetteville State University
  • Alabama A&M University
  • Texas Southern University

In contrast, Black student enrollment is declining at PWIs (predominantly white institutions), including Ivy League schools Harvard University, Princeton University, and Yale University, as well as other prestigious colleges, following the reversal of affirmative action, as AFROTECH™ previously reported.

Data covering 20 colleges found that Black student enrollment declined compared to Fall 2023. At Harvard, 11.5% of the Class of 2029 are Black, and 11% are Hispanic, down from 14% Black and 16% Hispanic in the Class of 2028, The Hill reported at the time. Some institutions reporting that Black students represented just 2% of their freshman class.

Kolumn Magazine notes that the rise in enrollment at HBCUs shouldn’t be framed as a second-choice option for students, but rather as evidence that HBCUs have been steadily building their national profiles, improving recruitment efforts, expanding digital outreach, and being strategic with philanthropic funding.