Stanford vs. Harvard vs. Harvard

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

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

Costs

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

Admission

Stanford Harvard Harvard
Applied 53,733 56,937 56,937
Admitted 2,099 1,965 1,965
Acceptance Rate 3.9% 3.5% 3.5%
Enrolled % 80.9% 83.7% 83.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.96 4.0 4.0
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+ A/A+
Admissions Standards Elite Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 34/36 34/36
SAT Range 1510/1580 1500/1580 1500/1580
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 2, 2026 Jan 1, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

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

Outcomes

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

Diversity

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

Students

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

Campus

Stanford Harvard Harvard
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 Stanford based on total student enrollment (30,386 students vs. 18,446 students)

Stanford vs. Harvard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Stanford or Harvard?

  • Stanford University is 13.8% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($61,731.00 vs. $54,269.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.8% higher at Stanford than Harvard University ($61,731.00 vs. $54,269.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Stanford ($17,900 vs. $17,998)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Stanford University are 2.3% lower than costs at Harvard University ($19,922 vs. $20,374)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Stanford University (57% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 1.2% larger than aid received Stanford University ($64,942 vs. $64,164)

Stanford vs. Harvard Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 18 points higher than at Stanford (1479)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Stanford (33)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Stanford (3.96)
  • Stanford has a higher acceptance rate (3.9%) than Harvard (3.5%)

Stanford vs. Harvard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Stanford University (97% vs. 96%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $13,800 more per year than Stanford graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $122,900)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $5,975 lower median federal student loan debt than Stanford graduates. ($6,500 vs. $12,475)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans 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/