Higher Learning backdrop
DRAMA . 1995 . 2h 8m . 6.3/10

Higher Learning_

"Question the knowledge."

African-American student Malik is on a track scholarship; academics are not his strong suit, and he goes in thinking that his athletic abilities will earn him a free ride through college. Fudge, a "professional student" who has been at Columbus for six years so far, becomes friendly with Malik and challenges his views about race and politics in America.

Starring Omar Epps, Kristy Swanson, Michael Rapaport
Box Office $38.3M
6.3/10
Rating
$38.3M
Box Office
2h 8m
Runtime
1995
Year
PROFITABLE
+92% ROI
Profitability
Updated Feb 16, 2026
Higher Learning poster
Question the knowledge.

African-American student Malik is on a track scholarship; academics are not his strong suit, and he goes in thinking that his athletic abilities will earn him a free ride through college. Fudge, a "professional student" who has been at Columbus for six years so far, becomes friendly with Malik and challenges his views about race and politics in America.

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DROPTHE_ GOSSIP

Box office
Higher Learning earned $38.3M worldwide on a $20.0M budget — a 92% return on investment.
Cast
Omar Epps stars as Malik Williams in Higher Learning.
Omar Epps →
Year context
Higher Learning was released 31 years ago in 1995.
Higher Learning is a Drama, Crime, Thriller film with a runtime of 2h 8m.

BOX OFFICE

$20.0M
Budget
$38.3M
Revenue
+92%
ROI
PROFITABLE
Verdict

DETAILS

Release
Status
Released
Runtime
128 min (2h 8m)
Country
Rating
6.3/10 (233 votes)
Budget
$20,000,000
Box Office
$38,300,000
Profit
+$18,300,000

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Higher Learning about?
African-American student Malik is on a track scholarship; academics are not his strong suit, and he goes in thinking that his athletic abilities will earn him a free ride through college. Fudge, a "professional student" who has been at Columbus for six years so far, becomes friendly with Malik and challenges his views about race and politics in America.
How long is Higher Learning?
Higher Learning has a runtime of 128 minutes (2h 8m).
Who stars in Higher Learning?
The cast of Higher Learning includes Omar Epps, Kristy Swanson, Michael Rapaport, Jennifer Connelly, Ice Cube.
How much did Higher Learning make at the box office?
Higher Learning earned $38,300,000 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $20,000,000.
What is the rating of Higher Learning?
Higher Learning has a rating of 6.3 out of 10 based on 233 votes on TMDB.

GENRES (3)

Drama Crime Thriller
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