Harvard vs. Vassar

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

Harvard Vassar
Location Cambridge, MA Poughkeepsie, NY
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 30,631 2,459
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #47
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu vassar.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Harvard Vassar
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $63,840
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $63,840
Room & Board $19,502 $16,560
Avg Net Price $19,491 $30,603
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $50,193
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 57%

Admission

Harvard Vassar
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 11,412
Admitted 1,984 2,129
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 18.7%
Enrolled % 83% 32%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.86
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 34/36 32/34
SAT Range 1490/1580 1430/1535
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 Vassar
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)

Outcomes

Harvard Vassar
Graduation Rate 97% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $58,400
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $15,780
Median Loan Payment $67 $163

Diversity

Harvard Vassar
% Men 46% 38%
% Women 54% 62%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 59%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 10% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 6%
% International 11% 7%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Harvard Vassar
% In-State 15% 24%
% Out-of-State 69% 69%

Campus

Harvard Vassar
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
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 Vassar based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 2,459 students)

Harvard vs. Vassar Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Vassar?

  • Vassar College is 21.2% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($63,840.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.2% higher at Vassar than Harvard University ($63,840.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Vassar ($19,491 vs. $30,603)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Vassar College are 17.8% lower than costs at Harvard University ($16,560 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Vassar College than Harvard University (57% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 23.1% larger than aid received Vassar College ($61,801 vs. $50,193)

Harvard vs. Vassar Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 92 points higher than at Vassar (1405)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Vassar (32)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Vassar (3.86)
  • Vassar has a higher acceptance rate (18.7%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. Vassar Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Vassar College (97% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $78,300 more per year than Vassar graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $58,400)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $9,280 lower median federal student loan debt than Vassar graduates. ($6,500 vs. $15,780)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $96 less per month on federal student loans than Vassar graduates. ($67 vs. $163)
  • More Vassar graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 70%)

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