UChicago vs. Harvard

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

UChicago Harvard
Location Chicago, IL Cambridge, MA
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 18,339 30,631
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #7 #4
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uchicago.edu harvard.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UChicago Harvard
Tuition (In State) $61,179 $52,659
Tuition (Out of State) $61,179 $52,659
Room & Board $18,396 $19,502
Avg Net Price $36,991 $19,491
Avg Grant Aid $48,422 $61,801
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 56%

Admission

UChicago Harvard
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 37,522 61,221
Admitted 2,039 1,984
Acceptance Rate 5.4% 3.2%
Enrolled % 84.8% 83%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 4.0
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 34/36
SAT Range 1500/1580 1490/1580
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, 2025

Academics

UChicago Harvard
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (38%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Mathematics (7%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)

Outcomes

UChicago Harvard
Graduation Rate 92% 97%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,500 $136,700
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,500 $6,500
Median Loan Payment $149 $67

Diversity

UChicago Harvard
% Men 54% 46%
% Women 46% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 44%
% Black 5% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 11% 11%
% Unknown Race 10% 3%

Students

UChicago Harvard
% In-State 12% 15%
% Out-of-State 69% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than UChicago based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 18,339 students)

UChicago vs. Harvard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UChicago or Harvard?

  • University of Chicago is 16.2% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($61,179.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.2% higher at UChicago than Harvard University ($61,179.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than UChicago ($19,491 vs. $36,991)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Chicago are 6% lower than costs at Harvard University ($18,396 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than University of Chicago (56% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 27.6% larger than aid received University of Chicago ($61,801 vs. $48,422)

UChicago vs. Harvard Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Chicago (1506) is 9 points higher than at Harvard (1497)
  • Incoming UChicago students have at the same average ACT score (34) as students at Harvard (34)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at UChicago (3.95)
  • UChicago has a higher acceptance rate (5.4%) than Harvard (3.2%)

UChicago vs. Harvard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UChicago 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 UChicago.

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than University of Chicago (97% vs. 92%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $38,200 more per year than UChicago graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $98,500)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than UChicago graduates. ($6,500 vs. $14,500)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $82 less per month on federal student loans than UChicago graduates. ($67 vs. $149)
  • More UChicago graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 70%)

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