Harvard vs. Smith College

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

Harvard Smith College
Location Cambridge, MA Northampton, MA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 30,631 2,873
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #68
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu smith.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Harvard Smith College
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $58,480
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $58,480
Room & Board $19,502 $20,340
Avg Net Price $19,491 $30,790
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $49,109
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 64%

Admission

Harvard Smith College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 7,269
Admitted 1,984 1,662
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 22.9%
Enrolled % 83% 37.2%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 4.0
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A/A+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 34/36 31/34
SAT Range 1490/1580 1370/1520
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 Smith College
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Social Sciences (22%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)

Outcomes

Harvard Smith College
Graduation Rate 97% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $48,900
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $67 $196

Diversity

Harvard Smith College
% Men 46% 2%
% Women 54% 98%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 45%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 10% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 5%
% International 11% 14%
% Unknown Race 3% 8%

Students

Harvard Smith College
% In-State 15% 11%
% Out-of-State 69% 76%

Campus

Harvard Smith College
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 Smith College based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 2,873 students)

Harvard vs. Smith College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Smith College?

  • Smith College is 11.1% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($58,480.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.1% higher at Smith College than Harvard University ($58,480.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Smith College ($19,491 vs. $30,790)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Harvard University are 4.3% lower than costs at Smith College ($19,502 vs. $20,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Smith College than Harvard University (64% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 25.8% larger than aid received Smith College ($61,801 vs. $49,109)

Harvard vs. Smith College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have at the same average high school GPA (4.0) as students at Smith College (4.0)
  • Smith College has a higher acceptance rate (22.9%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. Smith College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Harvard or Smith 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 Smith College and Harvard.

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Smith College (97% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $87,800 more per year than Smith College graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $48,900)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $12,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Smith College graduates. ($6,500 vs. $19,000)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $129 less per month on federal student loans than Smith College graduates. ($67 vs. $196)
  • More Smith 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/