Yale vs. Stanford

Should I go to Yale University or Stanford University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Yale or Stanford 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Harvard Princeton Caltech Columbia MIT UC Berkeley UCLA Duke USC Brown Cornell Pomona
Yale University vs. Stanford University comparison
Yale University Stanford University College 3 College 4
Yale University Stanford University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Yale Stanford
Location New Haven, CT Stanford, CA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,081 18,446
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #2
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website yale.edu stanford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Yale Stanford
Tuition (In State) $64,700 $61,731
Tuition (Out of State) $64,700 $61,731
Room & Board $19,180 $19,922
Avg Net Price $26,044 $17,998
Avg Grant Aid $59,076 $64,164
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 55%

Admission

Yale Stanford
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,803 53,733
Admitted 2,332 2,099
Acceptance Rate 4.5% 3.9%
Enrolled % 70.4% 80.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 34/35
SAT Range 1500/1580 1510/1580
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 2, 2026 Jan 2, 2026

Academics

Yale Stanford
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • History (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Ethnic Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

Yale Stanford
Graduation Rate 97% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $118,400 $122,900
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,500 $12,475
Median Loan Payment $139 $128

Diversity

Yale Stanford
% Men 25% 31%
% Women 30% 25%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 47% 37%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 11% 15%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 10%
% International 11% 9%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Yale Stanford
% In-State 6% 37%
% Out-of-State 81% 47%

Campus

Yale Stanford
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

  • Stanford University is larger than than Yale based on total student enrollment (18,446 students vs. 15,081 students)

Yale vs. Stanford Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Yale or Stanford?

  • Yale University is 4.8% more expensive to attend than Stanford for in-state tuition ($64,700.00 vs. $61,731.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.8% higher at Yale than Stanford University ($64,700.00 vs. $61,731.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Stanford University than Yale ($17,998 vs. $26,044)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Yale University are 3.9% lower than costs at Stanford University ($19,180 vs. $19,922)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Stanford University than Yale University (55% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Stanford University students is 8.6% larger than aid received Yale University ($64,164 vs. $59,076)

Yale vs. Stanford Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Yale University (1498) is 19 points higher than at Stanford (1479)
  • Incoming Yale students have at the same average ACT score (33) as students at Stanford (33)
  • Accepted freshman Stanford students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Yale (3.95)
  • Yale has a higher acceptance rate (4.5%) than Stanford (3.9%)

Yale vs. Stanford Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Yale or Stanford? 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 Stanford and Yale.

  • The graduation rate at Yale is higher than Stanford University (97% vs. 96%)
  • Graduates from Stanford University earn on average $4,500 more per year than Yale graduates after ten years. ($122,900 vs. $118,400)
  • Stanford University students graduate with a $1,025 lower median federal student loan debt than Yale graduates. ($12,475 vs. $13,500)
  • Stanford graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Yale graduates. ($128 vs. $139)
  • More Stanford graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Yale students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 84%)

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