DOVER, Del. - Forbes released its first-ever ranking of America's Top Historically Black Colleges and Universities this month and Delaware State University is among the top tier.
The HBCU rankings are mainly based on graduation rates, alumni earnings, student debt, and return on investment.
DSU appears on Forbes' inaugural list among just ten public HBCUs in the country. A record 6,623 students chose Delaware State in 2026 which is a growth of 31.7 percent since 2020.
This year, the General Assembly made a historic $100 million investment in the University.
"This investment is not charity, and it never was," said John Ridgeway, Chair of the Delaware State University Board of Trustees. "It is the soundest economic development decision this state can make. We are grateful, and we intend to keep proving them right."
According to the university, DSU remains the nation's leading producer of professional pilots of color, to artificial intelligence, nursing, agriculture and more.
"The country is finally measuring what these institutions were built for," said Delaware State University President Tony Allen. "We were chartered in 1891 because the first industrial revolution excluded our students. We intend to lead them through the second one. We are honored by the recognition. We are not finished."
