Harvard vs. Hunter

Should I go to Harvard University or CUNY Hunter College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Harvard or Hunter 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 Hunter College comparison
Harvard University CUNY Hunter College College 3 College 4
Harvard University CUNY Hunter College
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Overview

 Harvard Hunter
Location Cambridge, MA New York, NY
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 30,386 22,879
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #283
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Harvard Hunter
Tuition (In State) $54,269 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $54,269 $14,880
Room & Board $20,374 $11,324
Avg Net Price $17,900 $4,127
Avg Grant Aid $64,942 $9,624
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 88%

Admission

 Harvard Hunter
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 56,937 31,614
Admitted 1,965 17,087
Acceptance Rate 3.5% 54%
Enrolled % 83.7% 18.6%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.7
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 34/36
SAT Range 1500/1580 1210/1470
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

Academics

 Harvard Hunter
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)

Outcomes

 Harvard Hunter
Graduation Rate 97% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $48,800
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $11,548
Median Loan Payment $67 $119

Diversity

 Harvard Hunter
% Men 32% 6%
% Women 38% 18%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 27%
% Black 6% 10%
% Hispanic 10% 29%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 6% 2%
% International 11% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

 Harvard Hunter
% In-State 15% 85%
% Out-of-State 70% 0%

Campus

 Harvard Hunter
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 Hunter based on total student enrollment (30,386 students vs. 22,879 students)

Harvard vs. Hunter Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Hunter?

  • Harvard University is 683.1% more expensive to attend than Hunter for in-state tuition ($54,269.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 264.7% higher at Harvard than CUNY Hunter College ($54,269.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY Hunter College than Harvard ($4,127 vs. $17,900)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY Hunter College are 79.9% lower than costs at Harvard University ($11,324 vs. $20,374)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY Hunter College than Harvard University (88% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 574.8% larger than aid received CUNY Hunter College ($64,942 vs. $9,624)

Harvard vs. Hunter Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 332 points higher than at Hunter (1165)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Hunter (3.7)
  • Hunter has a higher acceptance rate (54%) than Harvard (3.5%)

Harvard vs. Hunter Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than CUNY Hunter College (97% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $87,900 more per year than Hunter graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $48,800)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $5,048 lower median federal student loan debt than Hunter graduates. ($6,500 vs. $11,548)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Hunter graduates. ($67 vs. $119)
  • More Harvard graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Hunter students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 56%)

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