Harvard vs. University of Massachusetts-Boston

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

Harvard University of Massachusetts-Boston
Location Cambridge, MA Boston, MA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 30,631 15,586
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #448
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu umb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Harvard University of Massachusetts-Boston
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $14,542
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $35,515
Room & Board $19,502 $16,896
Avg Net Price $19,491 $17,123
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $11,104
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 99%

Admission

Harvard University of Massachusetts-Boston
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 19,512
Admitted 1,984 15,757
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 80.8%
Enrolled % 83% 15.5%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.35
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Elite Challenging
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 34/36 24/29
SAT Range 1490/1580 1080/1300
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 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

Harvard University of Massachusetts-Boston
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

Outcomes

Harvard University of Massachusetts-Boston
Graduation Rate 97% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $51,200
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $22,060
Median Loan Payment $67 $228

Diversity

Harvard University of Massachusetts-Boston
% Men 46% 41%
% Women 54% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 36%
% Black 6% 16%
% Hispanic 10% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 11% 12%
% Unknown Race 3% 7%

Students

Harvard University of Massachusetts-Boston
% In-State 15% 78%
% Out-of-State 69% 14%

Campus

Harvard University of Massachusetts-Boston
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than University of Massachusetts-Boston based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 15,586 students)

Harvard vs. University of Massachusetts-Boston Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or University of Massachusetts-Boston?

  • Harvard University is 262.1% more expensive to attend than University of Massachusetts-Boston for in-state tuition ($52,659.00 vs. $14,542.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 48.3% higher at Harvard than University of Massachusetts Boston ($52,659.00 vs. $35,515.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Boston than Harvard ($17,123 vs. $19,491)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Boston are 15.4% lower than costs at Harvard University ($16,896 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Boston than Harvard University (99% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 456.6% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Boston ($61,801 vs. $11,104)

Harvard vs. University of Massachusetts-Boston Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 442 points higher than at University of Massachusetts-Boston (1055)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.65 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at University of Massachusetts-Boston (3.35)
  • University of Massachusetts-Boston has a higher acceptance rate (80.8%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. University of Massachusetts-Boston Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Harvard or University of Massachusetts-Boston? 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 University of Massachusetts-Boston and Harvard.

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than University of Massachusetts Boston (97% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $85,500 more per year than University of Massachusetts-Boston graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $51,200)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $15,560 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Massachusetts-Boston graduates. ($6,500 vs. $22,060)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $161 less per month on federal student loans than University of Massachusetts-Boston graduates. ($67 vs. $228)
  • More Harvard graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Massachusetts-Boston students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 58%)

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