Yale vs. Harvard vs. Princeton

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

 Yale Harvard Princeton
Location New Haven, CT Cambridge, MA Princeton, NJ
Setting Midsize City Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,081 30,386 8,922
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #4 #1
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website yale.edu harvard.edu princeton.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 Yale Harvard Princeton
Tuition (In State) $64,700 $54,269 $59,710
Tuition (Out of State) $64,700 $54,269 $59,710
Room & Board $19,180 $20,374 $19,380
Avg Net Price $26,044 $17,900 $19,811
Avg Grant Aid $59,076 $64,942 $60,629
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 57% 60%

Admission

 Yale Harvard Princeton
Applied 51,803 56,937 39,644
Admitted 2,332 1,965 1,782
Acceptance Rate 4.5% 3.5% 4.5%
Enrolled % 70.4% 83.7% 76.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 4.0 3.93
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 34/36 34/35
SAT Range 1500/1580 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

 Yale Harvard Princeton
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 7:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • History (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Ethnic Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)

Outcomes

 Yale Harvard Princeton
Graduation Rate 97% 97% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $118,400 $136,700 $113,900
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 70% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,500 $6,500 $7,500
Median Loan Payment $139 $67 $77

Diversity

 Yale Harvard Princeton
% Men 25% 32% 21%
% Women 30% 38% 16%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High Very High
HBCU No No No
% White 47% 44% 45%
% Black 7% 6% 8%
% Hispanic 11% 10% 9%
% Native American 1% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 6% 4%
% International 11% 11% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 3% 2%

Students

 Yale Harvard Princeton
% In-State 6% 15% 16%
% Out-of-State 81% 70% 71%

Campus

 Yale Harvard Princeton
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 No
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)

Yale vs. Harvard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Yale or Harvard?

  • 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)

Yale vs. Harvard Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • 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%)

Yale vs. Harvard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Yale 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 Yale.

  • The graduation rate at Yale is the same as at Harvard 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/