Harvard vs. Marist College

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

 Harvard Marist College
Location Cambridge, MA Poughkeepsie, NY
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 30,386 6,452
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #217
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu marist.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Harvard Marist College
Tuition (In State) $54,269 $45,330
Tuition (Out of State) $54,269 $45,330
Room & Board $20,374 $17,710
Avg Net Price $17,900 $40,106
Avg Grant Aid $64,942 $23,836
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 97%

Admission

 Harvard Marist College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 56,937 10,224
Admitted 1,965 6,616
Acceptance Rate 3.5% 64.7%
Enrolled % 83.7% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.56
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 34/36 27/30
SAT Range 1500/1580 1220/1360
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 15, 2026

Academics

 Harvard Marist College
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Communication (16%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Biology (5%)

Outcomes

 Harvard Marist College
Graduation Rate 97% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $59,000
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $67 $268

Diversity

 Harvard Marist College
% Men 32% 6%
% Women 38% 8%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 44% 78%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 2%
% International 11% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 Harvard Marist College
% In-State 15% 44%
% Out-of-State 70% 54%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than Marist College based on total student enrollment (30,386 students vs. 6,452 students)

Harvard vs. Marist College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Marist College?

  • Harvard University is 19.7% more expensive to attend than Marist College for in-state tuition ($54,269.00 vs. $45,330.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.7% higher at Harvard than Marist College ($54,269.00 vs. $45,330.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Marist College ($17,900 vs. $40,106)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Marist College are 15% lower than costs at Harvard University ($17,710 vs. $20,374)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Marist College than Harvard University (97% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 172.5% larger than aid received Marist College ($64,942 vs. $23,836)

Harvard vs. Marist College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Marist College (3.56)
  • Marist College has a higher acceptance rate (64.7%) than Harvard (3.5%)

Harvard vs. Marist College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Harvard or Marist College? 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 Marist College and Harvard.

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Marist College (97% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $77,700 more per year than Marist College graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $59,000)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $19,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Marist College graduates. ($6,500 vs. $26,000)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $201 less per month on federal student loans than Marist College graduates. ($67 vs. $268)
  • More Marist College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 70%)

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