Harvard vs. Rutgers

Should I go to Harvard University or Rutgers University New Brunswick? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Harvard or Rutgers 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. 

NJIT Stanford Yale Johns Hopkins TCNJ Princeton Penn State MIT Seton Hall University Duke Rutgers University-Camden Columbia
Harvard University vs. Rutgers University New Brunswick comparison
Harvard University Rutgers University New Brunswick College 3 College 4
Harvard University Rutgers University New Brunswick
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Harvard Rutgers
Location Cambridge, MA New Brunswick, NJ
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 30,631 50,637
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #112
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu rutgers.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Harvard Rutgers
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $12,900
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $30,600
Room & Board $19,502 $13,909
Avg Net Price $19,491 $17,535
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $12,785
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 57%

Admission

 Harvard Rutgers
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 41,654
Admitted 1,984 27,612
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 66.3%
Enrolled % 83% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.3
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 34/36 28/33
SAT Range 1490/1580 1270/1480
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, 2024

Academics

 Harvard Rutgers
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

 Harvard Rutgers
Graduation Rate 97% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $66,200
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $22,215
Median Loan Payment $67 $229

Diversity

 Harvard Rutgers
% Men 46% 46%
% Women 54% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 42%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 10% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 11% 7%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 Harvard Rutgers
% In-State 15% 85%
% Out-of-State 69% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than than Harvard based on total student enrollment (50,637 students vs. 30,631 students)

Harvard vs. Rutgers Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Rutgers?

  • Harvard University is 308.2% more expensive to attend than Rutgers for in-state tuition ($52,659.00 vs. $12,900.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 72.1% higher at Harvard than Rutgers University New Brunswick ($52,659.00 vs. $30,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rutgers University New Brunswick than Harvard ($17,535 vs. $19,491)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 40.2% lower than costs at Harvard University ($13,909 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rutgers University New Brunswick than Harvard University (57% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 383.4% larger than aid received Rutgers University New Brunswick ($61,801 vs. $12,785)

Harvard vs. Rutgers Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 272 points higher than at Rutgers (1225)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.7 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Rutgers (3.3)
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (66.3%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. Rutgers Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Harvard or Rutgers? 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 Rutgers and Harvard.

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Rutgers University New Brunswick (97% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $70,500 more per year than Rutgers graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $66,200)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $15,715 lower median federal student loan debt than Rutgers graduates. ($6,500 vs. $22,215)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $162 less per month on federal student loans than Rutgers graduates. ($67 vs. $229)
  • More Harvard graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 68%)

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