Harvard vs. NYU

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

Harvard NYU
Location Cambridge, MA New York, NY
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 30,631 59,144
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #38
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu nyu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Harvard NYU
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $55,384
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $55,384
Room & Board $19,502 $20,272
Avg Net Price $19,491 $29,499
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $47,096
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 45%

Admission

Harvard NYU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 100,662
Admitted 1,984 12,539
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 12.5%
Enrolled % 83% 49.3%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.79
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 34/36 33/35
SAT Range 1490/1580 1470/1570
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, 2025

Academics

Harvard NYU
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

Harvard NYU
Graduation Rate 97% 86%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $76,000
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $67 $240

Diversity

Harvard NYU
% Men 46% 41%
% Women 54% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 34%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 10% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4%
% International 11% 17%
% Unknown Race 3% 8%

Students

Harvard NYU
% In-State 15% 26%
% Out-of-State 69% 52%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • New York University is larger than than Harvard based on total student enrollment (59,144 students vs. 30,631 students)

Harvard vs. NYU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or NYU?

  • New York University is 5.2% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($55,384.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.2% higher at NYU than Harvard University ($55,384.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than NYU ($19,491 vs. $29,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Harvard University are 3.9% lower than costs at New York University ($19,502 vs. $20,272)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than New York University (56% vs. 45%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 31.2% larger than aid received New York University ($61,801 vs. $47,096)

Harvard vs. NYU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 137 points higher than at NYU (1360)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at NYU (31)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at NYU (3.79)
  • NYU has a higher acceptance rate (12.5%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. NYU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than New York University (97% vs. 86%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $60,700 more per year than NYU graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $76,000)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $16,750 lower median federal student loan debt than NYU graduates. ($6,500 vs. $23,250)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $173 less per month on federal student loans than NYU graduates. ($67 vs. $240)
  • More NYU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 70%)

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