Harvard vs. City College of New York

Should I go to Harvard University or CUNY City College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Harvard or City College of New York 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. CUNY City College comparison
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Harvard University CUNY City College
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Overview

 Harvard City College of New York
Location Cambridge, MA New York, NY
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 30,386 15,012
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #276
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Harvard City College of New York
Tuition (In State) $54,269 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $54,269 $14,880
Room & Board $20,374 $18,104
Avg Net Price $17,900 $4,599
Avg Grant Aid $64,942 $9,236
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 86%

Admission

 Harvard City College of New York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 56,937 31,988
Admitted 1,965 18,576
Acceptance Rate 3.5% 58.1%
Enrolled % 83.7% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.2
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 34/36
SAT Range 1500/1580 1220/1460
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Harvard City College of New York
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 Harvard City College of New York
Graduation Rate 97% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $49,800
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $11,400
Median Loan Payment $67 $117

Diversity

 Harvard City College of New York
% Men 32% 7%
% Women 38% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 15%
% Black 6% 16%
% Hispanic 10% 35%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 2%
% International 11% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

 Harvard City College of New York
% In-State 15% 87%
% Out-of-State 70% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than City College of New York based on total student enrollment (30,386 students vs. 15,012 students)

Harvard vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or City College of New York?

  • Harvard University is 683.1% more expensive to attend than City College of New York for in-state tuition ($54,269.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 264.7% higher at Harvard than CUNY City College ($54,269.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than Harvard ($4,599 vs. $17,900)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY City College are 12.5% lower than costs at Harvard University ($18,104 vs. $20,374)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY City College than Harvard University (86% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 603.1% larger than aid received CUNY City College ($64,942 vs. $9,236)

Harvard vs. City College of New York Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 372 points higher than at City College of New York (1125)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.8 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at City College of New York (3.2)
  • City College of New York has a higher acceptance rate (58.1%) than Harvard (3.5%)

Harvard vs. City College of New York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Harvard or City College of New York? 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 City College of New York and Harvard.

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than CUNY City College (97% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $86,900 more per year than City College of New York graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $49,800)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $4,900 lower median federal student loan debt than City College of New York graduates. ($6,500 vs. $11,400)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than City College of New York graduates. ($67 vs. $117)
  • More Harvard graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 52%)

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