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Stanford Yale Johns Hopkins Princeton MIT Duke Columbia Dartmouth Penn UChicago Cornell Amherst| Harvard University | Brown University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Harvard | Brown | ||
| Location | Cambridge, MA | Providence, RI | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 30,386 | 11,516 | ||
| 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) | $54,269 | $65,656 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $54,269 | $65,656 | ||
| Room & Board | $20,374 | $16,598 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,900 | $26,608 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $64,942 | $58,378 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 57% | 51% |
Admission |
Harvard | Brown | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 56,937 | 51,316 | ||
| Admitted | 1,965 | 2,686 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.5% | 5.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 83.7% | 63.1% | ||
| 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 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1500/1580 | 1500/1570 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Jan 5, 2026 |
Academics |
Harvard | Brown | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 7:1 | 6:1 | ||
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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 | 32% | 15% | ||
| % Women | 38% | 17% | ||
| 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 | 70% | 81% | ||
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 (30,386 students vs. 11,516 students)
Harvard vs. Brown Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Brown?
- Brown University is 21% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($65,656.00 vs. $54,269.00)
- Out of state tuition is 21% higher at Brown than Harvard University ($65,656.00 vs. $54,269.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Brown ($17,900 vs. $26,608)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Brown University are 22.7% lower than costs at Harvard University ($16,598 vs. $20,374)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Brown University (57% vs. 51%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 11.2% larger than aid received Brown University ($64,942 vs. $58,378)
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 (5.2%) than Harvard (3.5%)
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/