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
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
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Box office
Higher Learning earned $38.3M worldwide on a $20.0M budget — a 92% return on investment.
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.
CAST (20)
Omar Epps
Malik Williams
Kristy Swanson
Kristen Connor
Michael Rapaport
Remy
Jennifer Connelly
Taryn
Ice Cube
Fudge
Jason Wiles
Wayne
Tyra Banks
Deja
Cole Hauser
Scott Moss
Laurence Fishburne
Professor Maurice Phipps
Regina King
Monet
Busta Rhymes
Dreads
Bridgette Wilson-Sampras
Nicole
Vitamin C
Festival Singer
Kari Wührer
Claudia
Tony Donno
Gay Victim
Adam Goldberg
David Isaacs
Jay R. Ferguson
Billy
Morris Chestnut
Track Anchor
SM
Shawn Michael Perry
Native American Student (uncredited)
Trevor St. John
James
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