Harvard vs. Syracuse

Should I go to Harvard University or Syracuse University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Harvard or Syracuse 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Stanford Yale Johns Hopkins Princeton MIT Duke Columbia Brown Penn UChicago Penn State Binghamton University
Harvard University vs. Syracuse University comparison
Harvard University Syracuse University College 3 College 4
Harvard University Syracuse University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Harvard Syracuse
Location Cambridge, MA Syracuse, NY
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 30,631 22,698
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #165
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu syr.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Harvard Syracuse
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $58,440
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $58,440
Room & Board $19,502 $17,170
Avg Net Price $19,491 $43,651
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $34,737
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 77%

Admission

Harvard Syracuse
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 41,489
Admitted 1,984 21,471
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 51.8%
Enrolled % 83% 19.1%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.69
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 34/36 28/32
SAT Range 1490/1580 1260/1430
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 Syracuse
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Harvard Syracuse
Graduation Rate 97% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $65,900
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $67 $279

Diversity

Harvard Syracuse
% Men 46% 46%
% Women 54% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 55%
% Black 6% 8%
% Hispanic 10% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 11% 12%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Harvard Syracuse
% In-State 15% 28%
% Out-of-State 69% 61%

Campus

Harvard Syracuse
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 Syracuse based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 22,698 students)

Harvard vs. Syracuse Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Syracuse?

  • Syracuse University is 11% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($58,440.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11% higher at Syracuse than Harvard University ($58,440.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Syracuse ($19,491 vs. $43,651)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Syracuse University are 13.6% lower than costs at Harvard University ($17,170 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Syracuse University than Harvard University (77% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 77.9% larger than aid received Syracuse University ($61,801 vs. $34,737)

Harvard vs. Syracuse Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 302 points higher than at Syracuse (1195)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Syracuse (27)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Syracuse (3.69)
  • Syracuse has a higher acceptance rate (51.8%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. Syracuse Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Syracuse University (97% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $70,800 more per year than Syracuse graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $65,900)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $20,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Syracuse graduates. ($6,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $212 less per month on federal student loans than Syracuse graduates. ($67 vs. $279)
  • More Syracuse 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/