Harvard vs. Tufts

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

Harvard Tufts
Location Cambridge, MA Medford, MA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 30,631 13,431
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #32
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu tufts.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Harvard Tufts
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $63,804
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $63,804
Room & Board $19,502 $16,778
Avg Net Price $19,491 $30,479
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $51,613
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 39%

Admission

Harvard Tufts
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 34,882
Admitted 1,984 3,381
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 9.7%
Enrolled % 83% 50.1%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.91
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 34/36 33/35
SAT Range 1490/1580 1450/1550
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 Tufts
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Social Sciences (31%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Harvard Tufts
Graduation Rate 97% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $83,100
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $18,000
Median Loan Payment $67 $186

Diversity

Harvard Tufts
% Men 46% 41%
% Women 54% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 58%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4%
% International 11% 9%
% Unknown Race 3% 7%

Students

Harvard Tufts
% In-State 15% 21%
% Out-of-State 69% 65%

Campus

Harvard Tufts
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 Tufts based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 13,431 students)

Harvard vs. Tufts Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Tufts?

  • Tufts University is 21.2% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($63,804.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.2% higher at Tufts than Harvard University ($63,804.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Tufts ($19,491 vs. $30,479)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Tufts University are 16.2% lower than costs at Harvard University ($16,778 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Tufts University (56% vs. 39%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 19.7% larger than aid received Tufts University ($61,801 vs. $51,613)

Harvard vs. Tufts Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 73 points higher than at Tufts (1424)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Tufts (32)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Tufts (3.91)
  • Tufts has a higher acceptance rate (9.7%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. Tufts Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Tufts University (97% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $53,600 more per year than Tufts graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $83,100)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $11,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Tufts graduates. ($6,500 vs. $18,000)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $119 less per month on federal student loans than Tufts graduates. ($67 vs. $186)
  • More Tufts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 70%)

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