Harvard vs. RIT

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

 Harvard RIT
Location Cambridge, MA Rochester, NY
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 30,631 16,615
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #172
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu rit.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Harvard RIT
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $53,720
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $53,720
Room & Board $19,502 $14,978
Avg Net Price $19,491 $39,600
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $29,122
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 97%

Admission

 Harvard RIT
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 23,976
Admitted 1,984 16,105
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 67.2%
Enrolled % 83% 19.9%
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 29/33
SAT Range 1490/1580 1270/1450
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 15, 2025

Academics

 Harvard RIT
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (16%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Engineering Technology (11%)

Outcomes

 Harvard RIT
Graduation Rate 97% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $64,900
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $28,000
Median Loan Payment $67 $289

Diversity

 Harvard RIT
% Men 46% 65%
% Women 54% 35%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 44% 66%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 10% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 11% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

 Harvard RIT
% In-State 15% 47%
% Out-of-State 69% 49%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than RIT based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 16,615 students)

Harvard vs. RIT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or RIT ?

  • Rochester Institute of Technology is 2% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($53,720.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2% higher at RIT than Harvard University ($53,720.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than RIT ($19,491 vs. $39,600)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rochester Institute of Technology are 30.2% lower than costs at Harvard University ($14,978 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rochester Institute of Technology than Harvard University (97% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 112.2% larger than aid received Rochester Institute of Technology ($61,801 vs. $29,122)

Harvard vs. RIT Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 246 points higher than at RIT (1251)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at RIT (29)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at RIT (3.7)
  • RIT has a higher acceptance rate (67.2%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. RIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Rochester Institute of Technology (97% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $71,800 more per year than RIT graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $64,900)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $21,500 lower median federal student loan debt than RIT graduates. ($6,500 vs. $28,000)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $222 less per month on federal student loans than RIT graduates. ($67 vs. $289)
  • More RIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 70%)

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