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Stanford Yale Johns Hopkins Princeton MIT Vanderbilt Duke Columbia Brown Emory Penn UChicago| Harvard University | Washington University in St Louis | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Harvard | WUSTL | ||
| Location | Cambridge, MA | Saint Louis, MO | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 30,386 | 16,500 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #4 | #21 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | harvard.edu | wustl.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Harvard | WUSTL | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $54,269 | $61,750 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $54,269 | $61,750 | ||
| Room & Board | $20,374 | $20,778 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,900 | $22,440 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $64,942 | $61,036 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 57% | 48% |
Admission |
Harvard | WUSTL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 56,937 | 32,240 | ||
| Admitted | 1,965 | 3,855 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.5% | 12% | ||
| Enrolled % | 83.7% | 47.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.92 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 34/36 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1500/1580 | 1500/1570 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Jan 4, 2026 |
Academics |
Harvard | WUSTL | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 7:1 | 7:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Harvard | WUSTL | ||
| Graduation Rate | 97% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $136,700 | $82,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 70% | 88% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $6,500 | $19,900 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $67 | $205 |
Diversity |
Harvard | WUSTL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 32% | 25% | ||
| % Women | 38% | 25% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 44% | 55% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 10% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 4% | ||
| % International | 11% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 2% |
Students |
Harvard | WUSTL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 15% | 12% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 70% | 76% | ||
Campus |
Harvard | WUSTL | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Harvard University is larger than than WUSTL based on total student enrollment (30,386 students vs. 16,500 students)
Harvard vs. WUSTL Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Harvard or WUSTL ?
- Washington University in St Louis is 13.8% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($61,750.00 vs. $54,269.00)
- Out of state tuition is 13.8% higher at WUSTL than Harvard University ($61,750.00 vs. $54,269.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than WUSTL ($17,900 vs. $22,440)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Harvard University are 2% lower than costs at Washington University in St Louis ($20,374 vs. $20,778)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Washington University in St Louis (57% vs. 48%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 6.4% larger than aid received Washington University in St Louis ($64,942 vs. $61,036)
Harvard vs. WUSTL Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Harvard or WUSTL ? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WUSTL or Harvard .
- The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 28 points higher than at WUSTL (1469)
- Incoming Harvard students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at WUSTL (33)
- Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at WUSTL (3.92)
- WUSTL has a higher acceptance rate (12%) than Harvard (3.5%)
Harvard vs. WUSTL Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Harvard or WUSTL ? 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 WUSTL and Harvard.
- The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Washington University in St Louis (97% vs. 93%)
- Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $53,900 more per year than WUSTL graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $82,800)
- Harvard University students graduate with a $13,400 lower median federal student loan debt than WUSTL graduates. ($6,500 vs. $19,900)
- Harvard graduates are paying $138 less per month on federal student loans than WUSTL graduates. ($67 vs. $205)
- More WUSTL graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 70%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/