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Stanford Yale Amherst Johns Hopkins Princeton MIT Duke Columbia Brown Middlebury Penn UChicago| Harvard University | Williams College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Harvard | Williams | ||
| Location | Cambridge, MA | Williamstown, MA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 30,386 | 2,168 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #4 | #13 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | harvard.edu | williams.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Harvard | Williams | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $54,269 | $64,540 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $54,269 | $64,540 | ||
| Room & Board | $20,374 | $16,300 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,900 | $16,988 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $64,942 | $64,176 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 57% | 58% |
Admission |
Harvard | Williams | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 56,937 | 11,465 | ||
| Admitted | 1,965 | 1,145 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.5% | 10% | ||
| Enrolled % | 83.7% | 47.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.94 | ||
| 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 | 1470/1560 | ||
| 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 10, 2026 |
Academics |
Harvard | Williams | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 7:1 | 6:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Harvard | Williams | ||
| Graduation Rate | 97% | 95% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $136,700 | $73,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 70% | 83% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $6,500 | $14,582 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $67 | $150 |
Diversity |
Harvard | Williams | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 32% | 1% | ||
| % Women | 38% | 1% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 44% | 54% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 10% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 6% | ||
| % International | 11% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 0% |
Students |
Harvard | Williams | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 15% | 14% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 70% | 75% | ||
Campus |
Harvard | Williams | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | Yes | ||
| 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 Williams based on total student enrollment (30,386 students vs. 2,168 students)
Harvard vs. Williams Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Williams?
- Williams College is 18.9% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($64,540.00 vs. $54,269.00)
- Out of state tuition is 18.9% higher at Williams than Harvard University ($64,540.00 vs. $54,269.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Williams College than Harvard ($16,988 vs. $17,900)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Williams College are 25% lower than costs at Harvard University ($16,300 vs. $20,374)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Williams College than Harvard University (58% vs. 57%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 1.2% larger than aid received Williams College ($64,942 vs. $64,176)
Harvard vs. Williams Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Harvard or Williams? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Williams or Harvard .
- The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 55 points higher than at Williams (1442)
- Incoming Harvard students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Williams (33)
- Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Williams (3.94)
- Williams has a higher acceptance rate (10%) than Harvard (3.5%)
Harvard vs. Williams Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Harvard or Williams? 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 Williams and Harvard.
- The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Williams College (97% vs. 95%)
- Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $63,100 more per year than Williams graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $73,600)
- Harvard University students graduate with a $8,082 lower median federal student loan debt than Williams graduates. ($6,500 vs. $14,582)
- Harvard graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than Williams graduates. ($67 vs. $150)
- More Williams graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 70%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/