Harvard vs. Villanova

Deciding between Harvard University and Villanova 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
Villanova University

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Harvard Cambridge, MA
  • Villanova Villanova, PA
  • Setting
  • Harvard Midsize City
  • Villanova Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Harvard 30,259
  • Villanova 10,041
  • Type
  • Harvard Private 4 Year
  • Villanova Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Harvard #4
  • Villanova #67
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Harvard -
  • Villanova Roman Catholic
  • Status
  • Harvard Non-profit
  • Villanova Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Harvard
  • Villanova

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Harvard $61,676
  • Villanova $67,776
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Harvard $61,676
  • Villanova $67,776
  • Room & Board
  • Harvard $21,190
  • Villanova $17,694
  • Average Net Price
  • Harvard $17,525
  • Villanova $37,201
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Harvard $68,015
  • Villanova $47,609
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Harvard 56%
  • Villanova 48%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Harvard 54,008
  • Villanova 23,256
  • Admitted
  • Harvard 1,970
  • Villanova 6,274
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Harvard 3.6%
  • Villanova 27%
  • Enrolled
  • Harvard 83.6%
  • Villanova 27.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Harvard 1550
  • Villanova 1450
  • Typical ACT score
  • Harvard 35
  • Villanova 33
  • Average High School GPA
  • Harvard 4.0
  • Villanova 3.87
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Harvard A/A+
  • Villanova A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Harvard Elite
  • Villanova Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Harvard Extreme
  • Villanova High
  • ACT Range
  • Harvard 34/36
  • Villanova 32/34
  • SAT Range
  • Harvard 1510/1580
  • Villanova 1395/1510
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Harvard Required
  • Villanova Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Harvard Jan 1, 2027
  • Villanova Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Harvard 7:1
  • Villanova 10:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Harvard
    • Social Sciences (32%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
    • History (9%)
    • Mathematics (6%)
  • Villanova
    • Business (32%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • Engineering (11%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Communication (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Harvard 97%
  • Villanova 90%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Harvard $136,700
  • Villanova $85,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Harvard 70%
  • Villanova 90%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Harvard $6,500
  • Villanova $26,497
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Harvard $67
  • Villanova $273

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Harvard 46%
  • Villanova 46%
  • % Women
  • Harvard 54%
  • Villanova 54%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Harvard Very High
  • Villanova Low
  • HBCU
  • Harvard No
  • Villanova No
  • % White
  • Harvard 44%
  • Villanova 74%
  • % Asian
  • Harvard 19%
  • Villanova 7%
  • % Black
  • Harvard 6%
  • Villanova 5%
  • % Hispanic
  • Harvard 10%
  • Villanova 8%
  • % Native American
  • Harvard 0%
  • Villanova 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Harvard 0%
  • Villanova 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Harvard 6%
  • Villanova 2%
  • % International
  • Harvard 11%
  • Villanova 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Harvard 3%
  • Villanova 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Harvard 14%
  • Villanova 21%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Harvard 68%
  • Villanova 77%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Harvard University is larger than Villanova based on total student enrollment (30,259 students vs. 10,041 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Harvard University is located in Cambridge, MA (Midsize City setting); Villanova University is in Villanova, PA (Large Suburban setting).
  • Harvard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Villanova University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Harvard University 7:1; Villanova University 10:1.

Harvard vs. Villanova Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Villanova? 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 Villanova ($17,525 vs. $37,201).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Villanova University are 16.5% lower than at Harvard University ($17,694 vs. $21,190).
  • Villanova University is 9.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Harvard (about $6,100 more per year; $67,776.00 vs. $61,676.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 9.9% higher at Villanova than at Harvard University (about $6,100 more per year; $67,776.00 vs. $61,676.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Harvard University than at Villanova University (56% vs. 48%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 42.9% larger than aid received by Villanova University students ($68,015 vs. $47,609).

Harvard vs. Villanova Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Harvard University (1550) is 100 points higher than at Villanova (1450).
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (35 vs. 33 at Villanova).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Harvard University 1510/1580; Villanova University 1395/1510.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Harvard University 34/36; Villanova University 32/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Harvard - Required; Villanova - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Harvard Jan 1, 2027; Villanova Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Villanova (3.87).
  • Villanova has a higher acceptance rate (27%) than Harvard (3.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 83.6% at Harvard vs. 27.7% at Villanova.

Harvard vs. Villanova Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Harvard and Villanova? 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 Villanova University's (90%).
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn a median of about $51,600 more per year than Villanova graduates about ten years after starting college ($136,700 vs. $85,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Harvard University graduates have a $19,997 lower median loan debt than Villanova graduates ($6,500 vs. $26,497).
  • Among borrowers, Harvard graduates have an estimated $206 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Villanova graduates ($67 vs. $273).
  • More Villanova graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (90% 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.