XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
Xavier University of Louisiana stands as America’s only historically Black and Catholic University. Entering its second century grounded in faith, purpose, and academic distinction, Xavier is ranked among the nation’s top HBCUs and is nationally recognized as a leader in STEM and health sciences. The University is a leading producer of African American graduates who go on to earn medical degrees, and its College of Pharmacy consistently ranks among the country’s top producers of African American pharmacists. Founded in 1925 by Saint Katharine Drexel (pictured above) and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, Xavier has grown over the past century to offer programs across nearly every discipline, including the arts, sciences, business, education, pharmacy, and political science. Xavier students benefit from a transformative educational experience that blends rigorous classroom instruction, hands-on research, service-learning, and real-world engagement, all while collaborating with world-renowned faculty and subject-matter experts. This distinctive Xavier experience nurtures both intellect and spirit, preparing graduates to lead with compassion, purpose, and excellence. As it builds upon a century-long mission to promote a more just and humane society, Xavier continues to lead boldly into a brighter future for all.
10 Things to Know About Xavier Right Now 1 2 3 4 5 6
Only One Xavier is the only historically Black and Catholic university in the United States.
Top 4 Forbes ranked Xavier No. 4 in its inaugural 2026 ranking of the nation’s top private HBCUs, highlighting graduate outcomes and return on investment.
Top 10 LinkedIn ranked Xavier No. 8 among HBCUs for long-term career success in its 2026 Top Colleges analysis; Xavier was the only Louisiana institution in the HBCU top 10.
Institutional Excellence UNCF selected Xavier for its 2026 Institutional Excellence Award, recognizing academic excellence, innovation, and commitment to student success.
Medicine Xavier has a longstanding national reputation for preparing Black students who go on to medical school and earn medical degrees.
The Next Medical School The Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine has achieved candidate status in the LCME accreditation process and is building its leadership, faculty, and academic infrastructure.
13 Gilman Scholars
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Xavier set a University record in 2026 with 13 Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship recipients.
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Sophia Speller became Xavier’s first Udall Scholar in 2026 and was the only HBCU student selected for the year’s scholar cohort.
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A Xavier First
National Champions Xavier Cheer won the 2026 NAIA Competitive Cheer National Championship with a finals score of 96.13—its second NAIA national title in four years.
Career-Ready
All four graduates in Xavier’s second Medical Laboratory Science cohort secured jobs before Commencement as the program earned national accreditation.
Proof Points
Excellence, Outcomes & Opportunity RETURN ON INVESTMENT & CAREER OUTCOMES Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce has estimated Xavier’s 40year net present value at more than $1 million in its college ROI analysis. In a separate analysis focused on low-income students, Xavier ranked among the leading private nonprofit bachelor’s institutions for long-term ROI. LinkedIn’s 2026 rankings evaluate job placement, internship and recruiter demand, career advancement, network strength and knowledge breadth. Xavier’s No. 8 HBCU ranking gives trustees a current, outcomes-based way to talk about the value of the Xavier network and degree.
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STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT A record 13 Xavier students earned Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships in 2026. Sophia Speller became Xavier’s first Udall Scholar and the only HBCU student selected as a 2026 Udall Scholar. Rising senior Cameron Camp placed third among 65 undergraduate researchers at an American Heart Association cardiovascular sciences competition. All four graduates in Xavier’s second Medical Laboratory Science cohort secured employment before Commencement; the program also earned national accreditation. Xavier students continue to represent the University in prestigious national research, humanities, health and international programs.
LEADERSHIP IN ACTION Recent alumni leadership offers a powerful way to make Xavier’s mission tangible. In 2026, Xavier alumnae were elected to the top two national leadership positions of The Links, Incorporated, and a College of Pharmacy alumna was elected the 29th National President of Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated. These achievements are not isolated from Xavier’s mission; they reflect it.
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A GROWING HEALTH-CARE LEGACY Xavier’s historic role in preparing Black health professionals is expanding. The Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine has achieved candidate status in the LCME process, assembled an inaugural leadership team and more than 200 faculty members, and received a $1.75 million planning grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 2026 to help advance medical education and health care in the Gulf South.
Forbes: No. 4 among top private HBCUs (2026) Xavier competes nationally with some of the most recognized names in Black higher education—and does so at a significantly lower cost. Forbes ranked Xavier No. 4 among private HBCUs, alongside Howard, Spelman, and Morehouse. Yet Xavier's $40,454 cost of attendance is roughly $19,000 to $26,000 less per year than each of the three institutions ranked ahead of us. At the same time, Forbes reports Xavier graduates reaching a median mid-career salary of $104,100—slightly higher than Spelman and comparable to other institutions at the top of the list. That speaks to the extraordinary value Xavier creates: a relatively small institution producing outcomes and national impact that rival institutions with significantly greater resources and higher costs.
LinkedIn: No. 8 HBCU for long-term career success (2026) Xavier's impact is perhaps best measured by what happens to our students after they leave us. LinkedIn ranks Xavier No. 8 among all HBCUs nationally for long-term career success— and we moved up a position this year. This isn't a reputation survey. LinkedIn uses real career data, looking at job placement, recruiter demand, professional networks, entrepreneurship and advancement into leadership. Xavier is the only Louisiana institution in the HBCU top 10, competing alongside institutions such as Howard, Morehouse, Spelman, North Carolina A&T and Florida A&M. For a university of our size, that tells an important story: Xavier's footprint may be relatively small, but the reach and trajectory of our graduates are national.
UNCF 2026 Institutional Excellence Award UNCF defines the Institutional Excellence Award as recognizing an HBCU distinguished by a legacy of academic excellence, transformative innovation, and an unwavering commitment to student success. That breadth matters. This recognizes Xavier as an institution and the strength of its overall model.
Nationally recognized pipeline to medicine and health professions For decades, Xavier has done something extraordinary: from a relatively small campus in New Orleans, we have built one of the nation's most significant pipelines into medicine and the health professions. Past AAMC data show Xavier as a national leader in the number of Black graduates who go on to complete medical school—outperforming institutions many times our size. And that impact extends into pharmacy and other health professions. This is not a new direction for Xavier; it is an expansion of work we have shown we can do.
Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine advancing toward accreditation With the Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine, we are extending that pipeline—from preparing future physicians for medical school to educating the physicians themselves. Located in the growing BioMedical District of New Orleans, the College of Medicine is expected to generate meaningful economic impact. Projections estimate the College’s operations could generate $152.5 million in economic expansion across Louisiana and $122 million in New Orleans by 2040, supporting more than 1,185 jobs statewide. Physicians trained by the College of Medicine are projected to contribute $2.9 billion to the U.S. economy by 2040.
Record 13 Gilman Scholars in 2026 Global opportunity should not be reserved for students with the greatest financial means. In 2026, Xavier produced a record 13 Gilman Scholars—students receiving Pell Grants who earned competitive U.S. Department of State funding to study internationally. Nearly half of Xavier's applicants were selected, compared with approximately 17% nationally. Our students are competing for—and winning—national opportunities at almost three times the national rate. That is what we mean when we talk about access at Xavier: not simply providing access to college, but ensuring that our students have access to the experiences and opportunities that prepare them to compete anywhere in the world.
First Udall Scholar in Xavier history Sophia Speller was selected from 381 candidates representing 175 colleges and universities— and was the only student from an HBCU selected as a 2026 Udall Scholar. Her achievement is another indication that Xavier students are not simply excelling within our institution; they are competing successfully for some of the nation's most prestigious undergraduate opportunities. It also demonstrates the breadth of Xavier's STEM impact, extending into environmental science, sustainability, and conservation.
NAIA Competitive Cheer National Champions Excellence at Xavier extends well beyond the classroom. In 2026, Xavier captured the NAIA Competitive Cheer National Championship, surging from fourth place to first in the championship round and defeating a 15-team national field with a score of 96.13. It was Xavier's second NAIA national championship in four years, following back-to-back national runner-up finishes in 2024 and 2025. What began as a young program has become one of the nation's elites: Xavier was the first HBCU ever to win the NAIA competitive cheer championship, and in 2026 we produced 10 All-Americans, the national Athlete of the Year, and the national Coach of the Year.
Carnegie Designations Xavier University of Louisiana is one of only 33 institutions nationwide designated by the Carnegie Classifications as both a Research College and University and an Opportunity College and University. As an Opportunity College and University, Carnegie recognized Xavier for providing higher access to students and producing higher-than-expected earnings outcomes for its graduates.
STEM Excellence Xavier remains one of the nation's leading producers of Black graduates who go on to medical school, a top producer nationally of African American Doctor of Pharmacy graduates, and leads the nation in producing African American graduates with bachelor's degrees in Chemistry.
Economic Impact Xavier University of Louisiana contributes $251.1 million to local and regional economies, including direct spending by the university and its students. Each dollar spent generates $1.55 in economic activity, supporting a diverse and growing economy. Xavier supports 1,933 jobs, including 769 on campus and 1,164 off-campus jobs. For every on campus job, 1.5 additional jobs are created off campus. Each $1 million spent generates 12 jobs.
Return on Investment Xavier graduates enjoy one of the highest returns on investment among all HBCUs over 15-, 30-, and 40-year periods
Community Impact The Princeton Review recognized Xavier as one of the nation’s top institutions for students most engaged in community service. Xavier students voluntarily contribute an average of 16,000 to 20,000 hours of community service each academic year. (2025)