Bowdoin College vs. Harvard

Should I go to Bowdoin College or Harvard University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bowdoin College or Harvard is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Stanford Yale Johns Hopkins Princeton MIT Duke Bates Columbia Brown Penn UChicago Williams
Bowdoin College vs. Harvard University comparison
Bowdoin College Harvard University College 3 College 4
Bowdoin College Harvard University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Bowdoin College Harvard
Location Brunswick, ME Cambridge, MA
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 1,915 30,631
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #25 #4
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bowdoin.edu harvard.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bowdoin College Harvard
Tuition (In State) $60,952 $52,659
Tuition (Out of State) $60,952 $52,659
Room & Board $16,772 $19,502
Avg Net Price $22,776 $19,491
Avg Grant Aid $53,534 $61,801
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 56%

Admission

Bowdoin College Harvard
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,376 61,221
Admitted 862 1,984
Acceptance Rate 9.2% 3.2%
Enrolled % 58.9% 83%
Avg High School GPA - 4.0
Typical High School Grades - A/A+
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 34/36
SAT Range 1460/1560 1490/1580
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 5, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Bowdoin College Harvard
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (17%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)

Outcomes

Bowdoin College Harvard
Graduation Rate 92% 97%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $75,000 $136,700
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,833 $6,500
Median Loan Payment $194 $67

Diversity

Bowdoin College Harvard
% Men 48% 46%
% Women 52% 54%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 63% 44%
% Black 5% 6%
% Hispanic 12% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 6%
% International 5% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

Bowdoin College Harvard
% In-State 9% 15%
% Out-of-State 83% 69%

Campus

Bowdoin College Harvard
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than Bowdoin College based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 1,915 students)

Bowdoin College vs. Harvard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bowdoin College or Harvard?

  • Bowdoin College is 15.7% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($60,952.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.7% higher at Bowdoin College than Harvard University ($60,952.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Bowdoin College ($19,491 vs. $22,776)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bowdoin College are 16.3% lower than costs at Harvard University ($16,772 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Bowdoin College (56% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 15.4% larger than aid received Bowdoin College ($61,801 vs. $53,534)

Bowdoin College vs. Harvard Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bowdoin College or Harvard? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Harvard or Bowdoin College .

  • Bowdoin College has a higher acceptance rate (9.2%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Bowdoin College vs. Harvard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bowdoin College 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 Bowdoin College.

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Bowdoin College (97% vs. 92%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $61,700 more per year than Bowdoin College graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $75,000)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $12,333 lower median federal student loan debt than Bowdoin College graduates. ($6,500 vs. $18,833)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $127 less per month on federal student loans than Bowdoin College graduates. ($67 vs. $194)
  • More Bowdoin College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 70%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/