Harvard vs. Brown

Should I go to Harvard University or Brown University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Harvard or Brown 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.

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Harvard University vs. Brown University comparison
Harvard University Brown University College 3 College 4
Harvard University Brown University
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Overview

Harvard Brown
Location Cambridge, MA Providence, RI
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 30,631 11,189
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #11
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu brown.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Harvard Brown
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $62,680
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $62,680
Room & Board $19,502 $15,840
Avg Net Price $19,491 $26,723
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $55,847
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 46%

Admission

Harvard Brown
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 50,649
Admitted 1,984 2,562
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 5.1%
Enrolled % 83% 67%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.94
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/36 34/36
SAT Range 1490/1580 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 1, 2025 Jan 5, 2025

Academics

Harvard Brown
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Harvard Brown
Graduation Rate 97% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $87,600
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $67 $155

Diversity

Harvard Brown
% Men 46% 48%
% Women 54% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 43%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 10% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 6%
% International 11% 12%
% Unknown Race 3% 7%

Students

Harvard Brown
% In-State 15% 3%
% Out-of-State 69% 79%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than Brown based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 11,189 students)

Harvard vs. Brown Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Brown?

  • Brown University is 19% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($62,680.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19% higher at Brown than Harvard University ($62,680.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Brown ($19,491 vs. $26,723)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Brown University are 23.1% lower than costs at Harvard University ($15,840 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Brown University (56% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 10.7% larger than aid received Brown University ($61,801 vs. $55,847)

Harvard vs. Brown Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 40 points higher than at Brown (1457)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Brown (33)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Brown (3.94)
  • Brown has a higher acceptance rate (5.1%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. Brown Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Harvard or Brown? 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 Brown and Harvard.

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Brown University (97% vs. 95%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $49,100 more per year than Brown graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $87,600)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $8,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Brown graduates. ($6,500 vs. $15,000)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $88 less per month on federal student loans than Brown graduates. ($67 vs. $155)
  • More Brown graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 70%)

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