Northwestern vs. Harvard

Deciding between Northwestern University and Harvard University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Northwestern University
Harvard University

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Northwestern Evanston, IL
  • Harvard Cambridge, MA
  • Setting
  • Northwestern Small City
  • Harvard Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Northwestern 23,856
  • Harvard 30,259
  • Type
  • Northwestern Private 4 Year
  • Harvard Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Northwestern #15
  • Harvard #4
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Northwestern -
  • Harvard -
  • Status
  • Northwestern Non-profit
  • Harvard Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Northwestern
  • Harvard

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Northwestern $68,322
  • Harvard $61,676
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Northwestern $68,322
  • Harvard $61,676
  • Room & Board
  • Northwestern $21,126
  • Harvard $21,190
  • Average Net Price
  • Northwestern $26,830
  • Harvard $17,525
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Northwestern $64,429
  • Harvard $68,015
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Northwestern 53%
  • Harvard 56%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Northwestern 49,474
  • Harvard 54,008
  • Admitted
  • Northwestern 3,806
  • Harvard 1,970
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Northwestern 7.7%
  • Harvard 3.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Northwestern 55.3%
  • Harvard 83.6%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Northwestern 1540
  • Harvard 1550
  • Typical ACT score
  • Northwestern 34
  • Harvard 35
  • Average High School GPA
  • Northwestern 3.92
  • Harvard 4.0
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Northwestern A
  • Harvard A/A+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Northwestern Elite
  • Harvard Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Northwestern Extreme
  • Harvard Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • Northwestern 33/35
  • Harvard 34/36
  • SAT Range
  • Northwestern 1510/1570
  • Harvard 1510/1580
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Northwestern Test optional
  • Harvard Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Northwestern Jan 1, 2027
  • Harvard Jan 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Northwestern 6:1
  • Harvard 7:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Northwestern
    • Social Sciences (25%)
    • Communication (14%)
    • Engineering (11%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
    • Psychology (8%)
  • Harvard
    • Social Sciences (32%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
    • History (9%)
    • Mathematics (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Northwestern 94%
  • Harvard 97%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Northwestern $89,800
  • Harvard $136,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Northwestern 87%
  • Harvard 70%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Northwestern $19,378
  • Harvard $6,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Northwestern $200
  • Harvard $67

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Northwestern 45%
  • Harvard 46%
  • % Women
  • Northwestern 55%
  • Harvard 54%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Northwestern High
  • Harvard Very High
  • HBCU
  • Northwestern No
  • Harvard No
  • % White
  • Northwestern 50%
  • Harvard 44%
  • % Asian
  • Northwestern 17%
  • Harvard 19%
  • % Black
  • Northwestern 6%
  • Harvard 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Northwestern 12%
  • Harvard 10%
  • % Native American
  • Northwestern 0%
  • Harvard 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Northwestern 0%
  • Harvard 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Northwestern 5%
  • Harvard 6%
  • % International
  • Northwestern 8%
  • Harvard 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Northwestern 2%
  • Harvard 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Northwestern 19%
  • Harvard 14%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Northwestern 66%
  • Harvard 68%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Northwestern Yes
  • Harvard Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Northwestern No
  • Harvard Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Northwestern Yes
  • Harvard Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Northwestern Yes
  • Harvard No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Northwestern No
  • Harvard Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Northwestern University in Evanston, IL with Harvard University in Cambridge, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Harvard University is larger than Northwestern based on total student enrollment (30,259 students vs. 23,856 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Northwestern University is located in Evanston, IL (Small City setting); Harvard University is in Cambridge, MA (Midsize City setting).
  • Northwestern University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Harvard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Northwestern University 6:1; Harvard University 7:1.

Northwestern vs. Harvard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or Harvard? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Northwestern ($17,525 vs. $26,830).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern University are 0.3% lower than at Harvard University ($21,126 vs. $21,190).
  • Northwestern University is 10.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Harvard (about $6,646 more per year; $68,322.00 vs. $61,676.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 10.8% higher at Northwestern than at Harvard University (about $6,646 more per year; $68,322.00 vs. $61,676.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Harvard University than at Northwestern University (56% vs. 53%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 5.6% larger than aid received by Northwestern University students ($68,015 vs. $64,429).

Northwestern vs. Harvard Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Northwestern or Harvard? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Harvard and Northwestern.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Harvard University (1550) is 10 points higher than at Northwestern (1540).
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (35 vs. 34 at Northwestern).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Northwestern University 1510/1570; Harvard University 1510/1580.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Northwestern University 33/35; Harvard University 34/36.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Northwestern - Test optional; Harvard - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Northwestern Jan 1, 2027; Harvard Jan 1, 2027.
  • 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 (7.7%) than Harvard (3.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 55.3% at Northwestern vs. 83.6% at Harvard.

Northwestern vs. Harvard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Northwestern and Harvard? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Harvard University's six-year graduation rate (97%) is higher than Northwestern University's (94%).
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn a median of about $46,900 more per year than Northwestern graduates about ten years after starting college ($136,700 vs. $89,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Harvard University graduates have a $12,878 lower median loan debt than Northwestern graduates ($6,500 vs. $19,378).
  • Among borrowers, Harvard graduates have an estimated $133 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.