Harvard vs. The New School

Deciding between Harvard University and The New School? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Harvard University
The New School

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Harvard Cambridge, MA
  • The New School New York, NY
  • Setting
  • Harvard Midsize City
  • The New School Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Harvard 30,259
  • The New School 9,068
  • Type
  • Harvard Private 4 Year
  • The New School Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Harvard #4
  • The New School #164
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Harvard -
  • The New School -
  • Status
  • Harvard Non-profit
  • The New School Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Harvard
  • The New School

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Harvard $61,676
  • The New School $58,694
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Harvard $61,676
  • The New School $58,694
  • Room & Board
  • Harvard $21,190
  • The New School $25,337
  • Average Net Price
  • Harvard $17,525
  • The New School $67,224
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Harvard $68,015
  • The New School $22,174
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Harvard 56%
  • The New School 94%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Harvard 54,008
  • The New School 9,828
  • Admitted
  • Harvard 1,970
  • The New School 6,238
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Harvard 3.6%
  • The New School 63.5%
  • Enrolled
  • Harvard 83.6%
  • The New School 21.3%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Harvard 1550
  • The New School 1250
  • Typical ACT score
  • Harvard 35
  • The New School 28
  • Average High School GPA
  • Harvard 4.0
  • The New School 3.59
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Harvard A/A+
  • The New School A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Harvard Elite
  • The New School Difficult
  • Applicant Competition
  • Harvard Extreme
  • The New School Low
  • ACT Range
  • Harvard 34/36
  • The New School 26/30
  • SAT Range
  • Harvard 1510/1580
  • The New School 1140/1360
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Harvard Required
  • The New School Test-free
  • Application Deadline
  • Harvard Jan 1, 2027
  • The New School

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Harvard 7:1
  • The New School 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Harvard
    • Social Sciences (32%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
    • History (9%)
    • Mathematics (6%)
  • The New School
    • Visual and Performing Arts (62%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
    • Business (11%)
    • Foreign Languages (4%)
    • Social Sciences (3%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Harvard 97%
  • The New School 61%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Harvard $136,700
  • The New School $52,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Harvard 70%
  • The New School 65%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Harvard $6,500
  • The New School $23,872
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Harvard $67
  • The New School $246

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Harvard 46%
  • The New School 25%
  • % Women
  • Harvard 54%
  • The New School 75%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Harvard Very High
  • The New School Very High
  • HBCU
  • Harvard No
  • The New School No
  • % White
  • Harvard 44%
  • The New School 33%
  • % Asian
  • Harvard 19%
  • The New School 9%
  • % Black
  • Harvard 6%
  • The New School 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Harvard 10%
  • The New School 12%
  • % Native American
  • Harvard 0%
  • The New School 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Harvard 0%
  • The New School 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Harvard 6%
  • The New School 4%
  • % International
  • Harvard 11%
  • The New School 32%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Harvard 3%
  • The New School 4%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Harvard 14%
  • The New School 13%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Harvard 68%
  • The New School 48%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Harvard Yes
  • The New School Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Harvard Yes
  • The New School No
  • Meal Plan
  • Harvard Yes
  • The New School Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Harvard No
  • The New School Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Harvard Yes
  • The New School No

Comparable Facts

Compare Harvard University in Cambridge, MA with The New School in New York, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Harvard University is larger than The New School based on total student enrollment (30,259 students vs. 9,068 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Harvard University is located in Cambridge, MA (Midsize City setting); The New School is in New York, NY (Large City setting).
  • Harvard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. The New School is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Harvard University 7:1; The New School 9:1.

Harvard vs. The New School Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or The New School? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than The New School ($17,525 vs. $67,224).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Harvard University are 16.4% lower than at The New School ($21,190 vs. $25,337).
  • Harvard University is 5.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than The New School (about $2,982 more per year; $61,676.00 vs. $58,694.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 5.1% higher at Harvard than at The New School (about $2,982 more per year; $61,676.00 vs. $58,694.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at The New School than at Harvard University (94% vs. 56%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 206.7% larger than aid received by The New School students ($68,015 vs. $22,174).

Harvard vs. The New School Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Harvard or The New School? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between The New School and Harvard.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Harvard University (1550) is 300 points higher than at The New School (1250).
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 7 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (35 vs. 28 at The New School).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Harvard University 1510/1580; The New School 1140/1360.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Harvard University 34/36; The New School 26/30.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Harvard - Required; The New School - Test-free.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Harvard Jan 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at The New School (3.59).
  • The New School has a higher acceptance rate (63.5%) than Harvard (3.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 83.6% at Harvard vs. 21.3% at The New School.

Harvard vs. The New School Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Harvard and The New School? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Harvard University's six-year graduation rate (97%) is higher than The New School's (61%).
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn a median of about $84,000 more per year than The New School graduates about ten years after starting college ($136,700 vs. $52,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Harvard University graduates have a $17,372 lower median loan debt than The New School graduates ($6,500 vs. $23,872).
  • Among borrowers, Harvard graduates have an estimated $179 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than The New School graduates ($67 vs. $246).
  • More Harvard graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former The New School students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 65%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.