Harvard vs. Dartmouth

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

Harvard Dartmouth
Location Cambridge, MA Hanover, NH
Setting Midsize City Remote Town
Enrollment 30,631 6,744
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #12
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu dartmouth.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Harvard Dartmouth
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $60,687
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $60,687
Room & Board $19,502 $18,099
Avg Net Price $19,491 $19,208
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $62,293
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 45%

Admission

Harvard Dartmouth
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 28,336
Admitted 1,984 1,808
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 6.4%
Enrolled % 83% 62.2%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.9
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/36 33/35
SAT Range 1490/1580 1500/1580
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 3, 2025

Academics

Harvard Dartmouth
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • History (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Ethnic Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Harvard Dartmouth
Graduation Rate 97% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $104,000
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $13,461
Median Loan Payment $67 $139

Diversity

Harvard Dartmouth
% Men 46% 50%
% Women 54% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 49%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 5%
% International 11% 8%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

Harvard Dartmouth
% In-State 15% 2%
% Out-of-State 69% 79%

Campus

Harvard Dartmouth
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 Dartmouth based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 6,744 students)

Harvard vs. Dartmouth Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Dartmouth?

  • Dartmouth College is 15.2% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($60,687.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.2% higher at Dartmouth than Harvard University ($60,687.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dartmouth College than Harvard ($19,208 vs. $19,491)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dartmouth College are 7.8% lower than costs at Harvard University ($18,099 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Dartmouth College (56% vs. 45%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Dartmouth College students is 0.8% larger than aid received Harvard University ($62,293 vs. $61,801)

Harvard vs. Dartmouth Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 60 points higher than at Dartmouth (1437)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Dartmouth (32)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Dartmouth (3.9)
  • Dartmouth has a higher acceptance rate (6.4%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. Dartmouth Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Dartmouth College (97% vs. 95%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $32,700 more per year than Dartmouth graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $104,000)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $6,961 lower median federal student loan debt than Dartmouth graduates. ($6,500 vs. $13,461)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than Dartmouth graduates. ($67 vs. $139)
  • More Dartmouth 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/