Harvard vs. Stanford

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

Harvard Stanford
Location Cambridge, MA Stanford, CA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 30,631 18,283
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #2
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu stanford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Harvard Stanford
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $57,693
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $57,693
Room & Board $19,502 $18,619
Avg Net Price $19,491 $18,279
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $60,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 53%

Admission

Harvard Stanford
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 56,378
Admitted 1,984 2,075
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 3.7%
Enrolled % 83% 83.7%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.96
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 1500/1580
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 2, 2025

Academics

Harvard Stanford
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 (21%)
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

Harvard Stanford
Graduation Rate 97% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $122,900
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $12,475
Median Loan Payment $67 $128

Diversity

Harvard Stanford
% Men 46% 53%
% Women 54% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 37%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 15%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 10%
% International 11% 9%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Harvard Stanford
% In-State 15% 35%
% Out-of-State 69% 48%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than Stanford based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 18,283 students)

Harvard vs. Stanford Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Stanford?

  • Stanford University is 9.6% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($57,693.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.6% higher at Stanford than Harvard University ($57,693.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Stanford University than Harvard ($18,279 vs. $19,491)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Stanford University are 4.7% lower than costs at Harvard University ($18,619 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Stanford University (56% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 1.9% larger than aid received Stanford University ($61,801 vs. $60,619)

Harvard vs. Stanford Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 18 points higher than at Stanford (1479)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Stanford (33)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Stanford (3.96)
  • Stanford has a higher acceptance rate (3.7%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. Stanford Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Stanford University (97% vs. 96%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $13,800 more per year than Stanford graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $122,900)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $5,975 lower median federal student loan debt than Stanford graduates. ($6,500 vs. $12,475)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than Stanford graduates. ($67 vs. $128)
  • More Stanford graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 70%)

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