HMC vs. Vassar

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

HMC Vassar
Location Claremont, CA Poughkeepsie, NY
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 949 2,456
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #46
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hmc.edu vassar.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

HMC Vassar
Tuition (In State) $65,954 $66,870
Tuition (Out of State) $65,954 $66,870
Room & Board $21,710 $17,415
Avg Net Price $42,720 $29,733
Avg Grant Aid $42,070 $53,840
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 58%

Admission

HMC Vassar
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,792 12,145
Admitted 626 2,153
Acceptance Rate 13.1% 17.7%
Enrolled % 35.8% 32%
Avg High School GPA 3.96 3.86
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 34/36 33/35
SAT Range 1480/1560 1435/1550
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 5, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

HMC Vassar
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (42%)
  • Physical Sciences (18%)
  • Mathematics (13%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)

Outcomes

HMC Vassar
Graduation Rate 84% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $84,900 $58,400
Making Student Loan Payments - 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,540 $15,780
Median Loan Payment $264 $163

Diversity

HMC Vassar
% Men 3% 0%
% Women 1% 1%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 38% 59%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 13% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 6%
% International 13% 7%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

HMC Vassar
% In-State 43% 28%
% Out-of-State 43% 64%

Campus

HMC Vassar
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Vassar College is larger than than HMC based on total student enrollment (2,456 students vs. 949 students)

HMC vs. Vassar Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HMC or Vassar?

  • Vassar College is 1.4% more expensive to attend than HMC for in-state tuition ($66,870.00 vs. $65,954.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.4% higher at Vassar than Harvey Mudd College ($66,870.00 vs. $65,954.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Vassar College than HMC ($29,733 vs. $42,720)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Vassar College are 24.7% lower than costs at Harvey Mudd College ($17,415 vs. $21,710)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvey Mudd College than Vassar College (68% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Vassar College students is 28% larger than aid received Harvey Mudd College ($53,840 vs. $42,070)

HMC vs. Vassar Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvey Mudd College (1484) is 79 points higher than at Vassar (1405)
  • Incoming HMC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Vassar (32)
  • Accepted freshman HMC students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Vassar (3.86)
  • Vassar has a higher acceptance rate (17.7%) than HMC (13.1%)

HMC vs. Vassar Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, HMC 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 HMC.

  • The graduation rate at Vassar is higher than Harvey Mudd College (91% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Harvey Mudd College earn on average $26,500 more per year than Vassar graduates after ten years. ($84,900 vs. $58,400)
  • Vassar College students graduate with a $9,760 lower median federal student loan debt than HMC graduates. ($15,780 vs. $25,540)
  • Vassar graduates are paying $101 less per month on federal student loans than HMC graduates. ($163 vs. $264)

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