Harvard vs. Princeton

Deciding between Harvard University and Princeton 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.

Harvard University
Princeton University

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Harvard Cambridge, MA
  • Princeton Princeton, NJ
  • Setting
  • Harvard Midsize City
  • Princeton Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Harvard 30,259
  • Princeton 9,137
  • Type
  • Harvard Private 4 Year
  • Princeton Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Harvard #4
  • Princeton #1
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Harvard -
  • Princeton -
  • Status
  • Harvard Non-profit
  • Princeton Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Harvard
  • Princeton

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Harvard $61,676
  • Princeton $62,688
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Harvard $61,676
  • Princeton $62,688
  • Room & Board
  • Harvard $21,190
  • Princeton $20,250
  • Average Net Price
  • Harvard $17,525
  • Princeton $15,313
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Harvard $68,015
  • Princeton $68,727
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Harvard 56%
  • Princeton 67%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Harvard 54,008
  • Princeton 40,468
  • Admitted
  • Harvard 1,970
  • Princeton 1,868
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Harvard 3.6%
  • Princeton 4.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Harvard 83.6%
  • Princeton 75.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Harvard 1550
  • Princeton 1550
  • Typical ACT score
  • Harvard 35
  • Princeton 34
  • Average High School GPA
  • Harvard 4.0
  • Princeton 3.93
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Harvard A/A+
  • Princeton A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Harvard Elite
  • Princeton Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Harvard Extreme
  • Princeton Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • Harvard 34/36
  • Princeton 34/35
  • SAT Range
  • Harvard 1510/1580
  • Princeton 1510/1580
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Harvard Required
  • Princeton Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Harvard Jan 1, 2027
  • Princeton Jan 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Harvard 7:1
  • Princeton 5:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Harvard
    • Social Sciences (32%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
    • History (9%)
    • Mathematics (6%)
  • Princeton
    • Social Sciences (25%)
    • Engineering (17%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • History (7%)
    • Human Services (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Harvard 97%
  • Princeton 96%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Harvard $136,700
  • Princeton $113,900
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Harvard 70%
  • Princeton 83%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Harvard $6,500
  • Princeton $7,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Harvard $67
  • Princeton $77

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Harvard 46%
  • Princeton 52%
  • % Women
  • Harvard 54%
  • Princeton 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Harvard Very High
  • Princeton Very High
  • HBCU
  • Harvard No
  • Princeton No
  • % White
  • Harvard 44%
  • Princeton 45%
  • % Asian
  • Harvard 19%
  • Princeton 22%
  • % Black
  • Harvard 6%
  • Princeton 8%
  • % Hispanic
  • Harvard 10%
  • Princeton 9%
  • % Native American
  • Harvard 0%
  • Princeton 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Harvard 0%
  • Princeton 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Harvard 6%
  • Princeton 4%
  • % International
  • Harvard 11%
  • Princeton 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Harvard 3%
  • Princeton 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Harvard 14%
  • Princeton 14%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Harvard 68%
  • Princeton 74%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Harvard University is larger than Princeton based on total student enrollment (30,259 students vs. 9,137 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Harvard University is located in Cambridge, MA (Midsize City setting); Princeton University is in Princeton, NJ (Large Suburban setting).
  • Harvard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Princeton University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Harvard University 7:1; Princeton University 5:1.

Harvard vs. Princeton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Princeton? 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 Princeton University than Harvard ($15,313 vs. $17,525).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Princeton University are 4.4% lower than at Harvard University ($20,250 vs. $21,190).
  • Princeton University is 1.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Harvard (about $1,012 more per year; $62,688.00 vs. $61,676.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 1.6% higher at Princeton than at Harvard University (about $1,012 more per year; $62,688.00 vs. $61,676.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Princeton University than at Harvard University (67% vs. 56%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 1% larger than aid received by Harvard University students ($68,727 vs. $68,015).

Harvard vs. Princeton Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Harvard or Princeton? 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 Princeton and Harvard.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Harvard University (1550) is the same as at Princeton (1550).
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (35 vs. 34 at Princeton).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Harvard University 1510/1580; Princeton University 1510/1580.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Harvard University 34/36; Princeton University 34/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Harvard - Required; Princeton - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Harvard Jan 1, 2027; Princeton Jan 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Princeton (3.93).
  • Princeton has a higher acceptance rate (4.6%) than Harvard (3.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 83.6% at Harvard vs. 75.5% at Princeton.

Harvard vs. Princeton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Harvard and Princeton? 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 Princeton University's (96%).
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn a median of about $22,800 more per year than Princeton graduates about ten years after starting college ($136,700 vs. $113,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Harvard University graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than Princeton graduates ($6,500 vs. $7,500).
  • Among borrowers, Harvard graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Princeton graduates ($67 vs. $77).
  • More Princeton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (83% 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.