Harvard vs. Williams

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

Harvard Williams
Location Cambridge, MA Williamstown, MA
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 30,631 2,222
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) $52,659 $61,450
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $61,450
Room & Board $19,502 $15,530
Avg Net Price $19,491 $20,965
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $57,121
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 45%

Admission

Harvard Williams
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 15,321
Admitted 1,984 1,302
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 8.5%
Enrolled % 83% 44.3%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.94
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/36 34/35
SAT Range 1490/1580 1480/1570
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, 2025 Jan 10, 2025

Academics

Harvard Williams
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • History (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

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 46% 47%
% Women 54% 53%
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 69% 76%

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 (30,631 students vs. 2,222 students)

Harvard vs. Williams Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Williams?

  • Williams College is 16.7% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($61,450.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.7% higher at Williams than Harvard University ($61,450.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Williams ($19,491 vs. $20,965)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Williams College are 25.6% lower than costs at Harvard University ($15,530 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Williams College (56% vs. 45%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 8.2% larger than aid received Williams College ($61,801 vs. $57,121)

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 (8.5%) than Harvard (3.2%)

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/