Stanford vs. Harvard vs. Harvard

Compare Stanford University, Harvard University, and Harvard University side by side. Review cost and aid, selectivity and test-score context, academics, campus setting, and post-graduation benchmarks to see which option lines up with your goals. Data comes from the same catalog CollegeSimply maintains across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities.

Stanford University
Harvard University
Harvard University

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Stanford Stanford, CA
  • Harvard Cambridge, MA
  • Harvard Cambridge, MA
  • Setting
  • Stanford Large Suburban
  • Harvard Midsize City
  • Harvard Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Stanford 18,625
  • Harvard 30,259
  • Harvard 30,259
  • Type
  • Stanford Private 4 Year
  • Harvard Private 4 Year
  • Harvard Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Stanford #3
  • Harvard #4
  • Harvard #4
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Stanford -
  • Harvard -
  • Harvard -
  • Status
  • Stanford Non-profit
  • Harvard Non-profit
  • Harvard Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Stanford
  • Harvard
  • Harvard

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Stanford $65,910
  • Harvard $61,676
  • Harvard $61,676
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Stanford $65,910
  • Harvard $61,676
  • Harvard $61,676
  • Room & Board
  • Stanford $21,315
  • Harvard $21,190
  • Harvard $21,190
  • Average Net Price
  • Stanford $25,078
  • Harvard $17,525
  • Harvard $17,525
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Stanford $62,755
  • Harvard $68,015
  • Harvard $68,015
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Stanford 61%
  • Harvard 56%
  • Harvard 56%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Stanford 57,326
  • Harvard 54,008
  • Harvard 54,008
  • Admitted
  • Stanford 2,067
  • Harvard 1,970
  • Harvard 1,970
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Stanford 3.6%
  • Harvard 3.6%
  • Harvard 3.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Stanford 81.9%
  • Harvard 83.6%
  • Harvard 83.6%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Stanford 1550
  • Harvard 1550
  • Harvard 1550
  • Typical ACT score
  • Stanford 34
  • Harvard 35
  • Harvard 35
  • Average High School GPA
  • Stanford 3.96
  • Harvard 4.0
  • Harvard 4.0
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Stanford A
  • Harvard A/A+
  • Harvard A/A+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Stanford Elite
  • Harvard Elite
  • Harvard Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Stanford Extreme
  • Harvard Extreme
  • Harvard Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • Stanford 34/35
  • Harvard 34/36
  • Harvard 34/36
  • SAT Range
  • Stanford 1510/1580
  • Harvard 1510/1580
  • Harvard 1510/1580
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Stanford Required
  • Harvard Required
  • Harvard Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Stanford Jan 2, 2027
  • Harvard Jan 1, 2027
  • Harvard Jan 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Stanford 6:1
  • Harvard 7:1
  • Harvard 7:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Stanford
    • Social Sciences (21%)
    • General Studies (16%)
    • Engineering (15%)
    • Biology (7%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)
  • Harvard
    • Social Sciences (32%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
    • History (9%)
    • Mathematics (6%)
  • Harvard
    • Social Sciences (32%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
    • History (9%)
    • Mathematics (6%)

  • Outcomes

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

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Stanford 52%
  • Harvard 46%
  • Harvard 46%
  • % Women
  • Stanford 48%
  • Harvard 54%
  • Harvard 54%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Stanford Very High
  • Harvard Very High
  • Harvard Very High
  • HBCU
  • Stanford No
  • Harvard No
  • Harvard No
  • % White
  • Stanford 37%
  • Harvard 44%
  • Harvard 44%
  • % Asian
  • Stanford 20%
  • Harvard 19%
  • Harvard 19%
  • % Black
  • Stanford 6%
  • Harvard 6%
  • Harvard 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Stanford 15%
  • Harvard 10%
  • Harvard 10%
  • % Native American
  • Stanford 1%
  • Harvard 0%
  • Harvard 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Stanford 0%
  • Harvard 0%
  • Harvard 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Stanford 10%
  • Harvard 6%
  • Harvard 6%
  • % International
  • Stanford 9%
  • Harvard 11%
  • Harvard 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Stanford 0%
  • Harvard 3%
  • Harvard 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Stanford 38%
  • Harvard 14%
  • Harvard 14%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Stanford 45%
  • Harvard 68%
  • Harvard 68%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Harvard University is larger than Stanford based on total student enrollment (30,259 students vs. 18,625 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Stanford University is located in Stanford, CA (Large Suburban setting); Harvard University is in Cambridge, MA (Midsize City setting).
  • Stanford University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Harvard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Stanford University 6:1; Harvard University 7:1.

Stanford vs. Harvard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Stanford or Harvard? 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 Stanford ($17,525 vs. $25,078).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Harvard University are 0.6% lower than at Stanford University ($21,190 vs. $21,315).
  • Stanford University is 6.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Harvard (about $4,234 more per year; $65,910.00 vs. $61,676.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 6.9% higher at Stanford than at Harvard University (about $4,234 more per year; $65,910.00 vs. $61,676.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Stanford University than at Harvard University (61% vs. 56%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 8.4% larger than aid received by Stanford University students ($68,015 vs. $62,755).

Stanford vs. Harvard Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Stanford or Harvard? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Harvard and Stanford.

  • The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Stanford University (1550) is the same as at Harvard (1550).
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate) (35 vs. 34 at Stanford).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Stanford University 1510/1580; Harvard University 1510/1580.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Stanford University 34/35; Harvard University 34/36.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Stanford - Required; Harvard - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Stanford Jan 2, 2027; Harvard Jan 1, 2027.
  • Enrolled freshman Harvard students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Stanford (3.96).
  • Harvard has a higher acceptance rate (3.6%) than Stanford (3.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 81.9% at Stanford vs. 83.6% at Harvard.

Stanford vs. Harvard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Stanford and Harvard? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • Harvard University's six-year graduation rate (97%) is higher than Stanford University's (96%).
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn a median of about $13,800 more per year than Stanford graduates about ten years after starting college ($136,700 vs. $122,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Harvard University graduates have a $5,975 lower median loan debt than Stanford graduates ($6,500 vs. $12,475).
  • Among borrowers, Harvard graduates have an estimated $61 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Stanford graduates ($67 vs. $128).
  • More Stanford graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (88% 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.