Harvard vs. Princeton

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

Harvard Princeton
Location Cambridge, MA Princeton, NJ
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 30,631 8,842
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #1
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu princeton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Harvard Princeton
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $57,410
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $57,410
Room & Board $19,502 $18,630
Avg Net Price $19,491 $18,698
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $59,792
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 61%

Admission

Harvard Princeton
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 38,019
Admitted 1,984 2,167
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 5.7%
Enrolled % 83% 69.2%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.93
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 1490/1580
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 1, 2025

Academics

Harvard Princeton
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)

Outcomes

Harvard Princeton
Graduation Rate 97% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $113,900
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $7,500
Median Loan Payment $67 $77

Diversity

Harvard Princeton
% Men 46% 53%
% Women 54% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 45%
% Black 6% 8%
% Hispanic 10% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4%
% International 11% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Harvard Princeton
% In-State 15% 16%
% Out-of-State 69% 69%

Campus

Harvard Princeton
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 Princeton based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 8,842 students)

Harvard vs. Princeton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Princeton?

  • Princeton University is 9% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($57,410.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9% higher at Princeton than Harvard University ($57,410.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than Harvard ($18,698 vs. $19,491)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Princeton University are 4.7% lower than costs at Harvard University ($18,630 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than Harvard University (61% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 3.4% larger than aid received Princeton University ($61,801 vs. $59,792)

Harvard vs. Princeton Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 7 points higher than at Princeton (1490)
  • Incoming Harvard students have at the same average ACT score (34) as students at Princeton (34)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Princeton (3.93)
  • Princeton has a higher acceptance rate (5.7%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. Princeton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Princeton University (97% vs. 96%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $22,800 more per year than Princeton graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $113,900)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Princeton graduates. ($6,500 vs. $7,500)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Princeton graduates. ($67 vs. $77)
  • More Princeton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 70%)

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