Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Stanford Yale Williams Johns Hopkins Princeton MIT Duke Columbia Brown Penn Tufts UChicago| Amherst College | Harvard University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Amherst | Harvard | ||
| Location | Amherst, MA | Cambridge, MA | ||
| Setting | Town Fringe | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,910 | 30,386 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #15 | #4 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | amherst.edu | harvard.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Amherst | Harvard | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $66,650 | $54,269 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $66,650 | $54,269 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,560 | $20,374 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,965 | $17,900 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $65,623 | $64,942 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 58% | 57% |
Admission |
Amherst | Harvard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 12,727 | 56,937 | ||
| Admitted | 1,250 | 1,965 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 9.8% | 3.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 39% | 83.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.91 | 4.0 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A/A+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 31/35 | 34/36 | ||
| SAT Range | 1360/1550 | 1500/1580 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 2, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Amherst | Harvard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 7:1 | 7:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Amherst | Harvard | ||
| Graduation Rate | 96% | 97% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $82,000 | $136,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 83% | 70% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $12,975 | $6,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $134 | $67 |
Diversity |
Amherst | Harvard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 32% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 38% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 42% | 44% | ||
| % Black | 12% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 13% | 10% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 6% | ||
| % International | 10% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 3% |
Students |
Amherst | Harvard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 9% | 15% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 77% | 70% | ||
Campus |
Amherst | Harvard | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Harvard University is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (30,386 students vs. 1,910 students)
Amherst vs. Harvard Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Harvard?
- Amherst College is 22.8% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($66,650.00 vs. $54,269.00)
- Out of state tuition is 22.8% higher at Amherst than Harvard University ($66,650.00 vs. $54,269.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Amherst ($17,900 vs. $17,965)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 16% lower than costs at Harvard University ($17,560 vs. $20,374)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Amherst College than Harvard University (58% vs. 57%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 1% larger than aid received Harvard University ($65,623 vs. $64,942)
Amherst vs. Harvard Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Amherst or Harvard? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Harvard or Amherst .
- The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 46 points higher than at Amherst (1451)
- Incoming Harvard students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Amherst (33)
- Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Amherst (3.91)
- Amherst has a higher acceptance rate (9.8%) than Harvard (3.5%)
Amherst vs. Harvard Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Amherst or Harvard? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Harvard and Amherst.
- The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Amherst College (97% vs. 96%)
- Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $54,700 more per year than Amherst graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $82,000)
- Harvard University students graduate with a $6,475 lower median federal student loan debt than Amherst graduates. ($6,500 vs. $12,975)
- Harvard graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than Amherst graduates. ($67 vs. $134)
- More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 70%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/