Harvard vs. Sarah Lawrence

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

 Harvard Sarah Lawrence
Location Cambridge, MA Bronxville, NY
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 30,386 1,743
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #127
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu slc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Harvard Sarah Lawrence
Tuition (In State) $54,269 $63,128
Tuition (Out of State) $54,269 $63,128
Room & Board $20,374 $17,546
Avg Net Price $17,900 $43,571
Avg Grant Aid $64,942 $35,677
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 84%

Admission

 Harvard Sarah Lawrence
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 56,937 4,819
Admitted 1,965 2,840
Acceptance Rate 3.5% 58.9%
Enrolled % 83.7% 14.5%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.75
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 34/36 29/33
SAT Range 1500/1580 1270/1440
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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Harvard Sarah Lawrence
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)

Outcomes

 Harvard Sarah Lawrence
Graduation Rate 97% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $44,100
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $13,500
Median Loan Payment $67 $139

Diversity

 Harvard Sarah Lawrence
% Men 32% 2%
% Women 38% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 53%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 7%
% International 11% 13%
% Unknown Race 3% 8%

Students

 Harvard Sarah Lawrence
% In-State 15% 18%
% Out-of-State 70% 76%

Campus

 Harvard Sarah Lawrence
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

  • Harvard University is larger than than Sarah Lawrence based on total student enrollment (30,386 students vs. 1,743 students)

Harvard vs. Sarah Lawrence Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Sarah Lawrence?

  • Sarah Lawrence College is 16.3% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($63,128.00 vs. $54,269.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.3% higher at Sarah Lawrence than Harvard University ($63,128.00 vs. $54,269.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Sarah Lawrence ($17,900 vs. $43,571)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sarah Lawrence College are 16.1% lower than costs at Harvard University ($17,546 vs. $20,374)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Sarah Lawrence College than Harvard University (84% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 82% larger than aid received Sarah Lawrence College ($64,942 vs. $35,677)

Harvard vs. Sarah Lawrence Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Sarah Lawrence (3.75)
  • Sarah Lawrence has a higher acceptance rate (58.9%) than Harvard (3.5%)

Harvard vs. Sarah Lawrence Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Harvard or Sarah Lawrence? 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 Sarah Lawrence and Harvard.

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Sarah Lawrence College (97% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $92,600 more per year than Sarah Lawrence graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $44,100)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $7,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Sarah Lawrence graduates. ($6,500 vs. $13,500)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than Sarah Lawrence graduates. ($67 vs. $139)
  • More Sarah Lawrence 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/