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Stanford Yale Johns Hopkins Princeton MIT Duke Columbia UChicago Brown Penn Notre Dame Vanderbilt| Northwestern University | Harvard University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Northwestern | Harvard | ||
| Location | Evanston, IL | Cambridge, MA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 23,203 | 30,386 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #16 | #4 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | northwestern.edu | harvard.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northwestern | Harvard | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $64,887 | $54,269 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $64,887 | $54,269 | ||
| Room & Board | $20,334 | $20,374 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,341 | $17,900 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $64,463 | $64,942 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 52% | 57% |
Admission |
Northwestern | Harvard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 51,769 | 56,937 | ||
| Admitted | 3,703 | 1,965 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 7.2% | 3.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 57% | 83.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.92 | 4.0 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A/A+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 34/36 | ||
| SAT Range | 1490/1560 | 1500/1580 | ||
| 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 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Northwestern | Harvard | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 7:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northwestern | Harvard | ||
| Graduation Rate | 94% | 97% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $89,800 | $136,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 70% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,378 | $6,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $200 | $67 |
Diversity |
Northwestern | Harvard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 27% | 32% | ||
| % Women | 33% | 38% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 50% | 44% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 10% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 6% | ||
| % International | 8% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% |
Students |
Northwestern | Harvard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 22% | 15% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 67% | 70% | ||
Campus |
Northwestern | Harvard | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Harvard University is larger than than Northwestern based on total student enrollment (30,386 students vs. 23,203 students)
Northwestern vs. Harvard Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or Harvard?
- Northwestern University is 19.6% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($64,887.00 vs. $54,269.00)
- Out of state tuition is 19.6% higher at Northwestern than Harvard University ($64,887.00 vs. $54,269.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Northwestern ($17,900 vs. $23,341)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern University are 0.2% lower than costs at Harvard University ($20,334 vs. $20,374)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Northwestern University (57% vs. 52%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 0.7% larger than aid received Northwestern University ($64,942 vs. $64,463)
Northwestern vs. Harvard Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northwestern or Harvard? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Harvard or Northwestern .
- The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 37 points higher than at Northwestern (1460)
- Incoming Harvard students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Northwestern (33)
- Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Northwestern (3.92)
- Northwestern has a higher acceptance rate (7.2%) than Harvard (3.5%)
Northwestern vs. Harvard Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northwestern or Harvard? 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 Harvard and Northwestern.
- The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Northwestern University (97% vs. 94%)
- Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $46,900 more per year than Northwestern graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $89,800)
- Harvard University students graduate with a $12,878 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern graduates. ($6,500 vs. $19,378)
- Harvard graduates are paying $133 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern graduates. ($67 vs. $200)
- More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 70%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/