HBCUs award 28% of Black STEM bachelor's degrees, UNCF report finds

A report from the Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) highlights the significant role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in STEM education. Based on data from the 2022–2023 academic year, HBCUs awarded 28 percent of all STEM bachelor’s degrees earned by Black students across the 21 states and U.S. territories where they operate.

While HBCUs represent only 9 percent of four-year bachelor-degree-granting institutions in their respective regions, they enrolled 23 percent of all Black undergraduates pursuing bachelor’s degrees in the Fall 2022 semester. North Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Georgia recorded the highest number of STEM bachelor’s degrees awarded by HBCUs.

Walter Kimbrough, UNCF’s executive vice president of research, noted that these institutions often outperform expectations despite being historically under-resourced. The UNCF is calling for increased support from state, federal, and philanthropic leaders to expand the capacity of HBCUs to meet the national demand for skilled STEM professionals.