Harvard vs. Yale vs. Stanford

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

 Harvard Yale Stanford
Location Cambridge, MA New Haven, CT Stanford, CA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 30,386 15,081 18,446
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #5 #2
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu yale.edu stanford.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 Harvard Yale Stanford
Tuition (In State) $54,269 $64,700 $61,731
Tuition (Out of State) $54,269 $64,700 $61,731
Room & Board $20,374 $19,180 $19,922
Avg Net Price $17,900 $26,044 $17,998
Avg Grant Aid $64,942 $59,076 $64,164
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 54% 55%

Admission

 Harvard Yale Stanford
Applied 56,937 51,803 53,733
Admitted 1,965 2,332 2,099
Acceptance Rate 3.5% 4.5% 3.9%
Enrolled % 83.7% 70.4% 80.9%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.95 3.96
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/36 33/35 34/35
SAT Range 1500/1580 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) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2026 Jan 2, 2026 Jan 2, 2026

Academics

 Harvard Yale Stanford
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 6:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • 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

 Harvard Yale Stanford
Graduation Rate 97% 97% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $118,400 $122,900
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 84% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $13,500 $12,475
Median Loan Payment $67 $139 $128

Diversity

 Harvard Yale Stanford
% Men 32% 25% 31%
% Women 38% 30% 25%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High Very High
HBCU No No No
% White 44% 47% 37%
% Black 6% 7% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 11% 15%
% Native American 0% 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 6% 10%
% International 11% 11% 9%
% Unknown Race 3% 1% 0%

Students

 Harvard Yale Stanford
% In-State 15% 6% 37%
% Out-of-State 70% 81% 47%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than Yale based on total student enrollment (30,386 students vs. 15,081 students)

Harvard vs. Yale Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Yale?

  • Yale University is 19.2% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($64,700.00 vs. $54,269.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.2% higher at Yale than Harvard University ($64,700.00 vs. $54,269.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Yale ($17,900 vs. $26,044)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Yale University are 6.2% lower than costs at Harvard University ($19,180 vs. $20,374)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Yale University (57% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 9.9% larger than aid received Yale University ($64,942 vs. $59,076)

Harvard vs. Yale Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Yale University (1498) is 1 points higher than at Harvard (1497)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Yale (33)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Yale (3.95)
  • Yale has a higher acceptance rate (4.5%) than Harvard (3.5%)

Harvard vs. Yale Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is the same as at Yale University (97% vs. 97%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $18,300 more per year than Yale graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $118,400)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $7,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Yale graduates. ($6,500 vs. $13,500)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than Yale graduates. ($67 vs. $139)
  • More Yale graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 70%)

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