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Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts · Private nonprofit · 4-year · City

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Official website

At a glance

Average net price
$19,066What students typically pay per year after grants and scholarships.
Acceptance rate
4%
Graduation rate
97%Share of students who finish within 150% of the normal time.
Undergraduates
7,601
In-state tuition
$61,676Published price before aid.
Out-of-state tuition
$61,676
SAT midpoint
1,530
Median earnings, 10 yrs
$101,817Median earnings of former students ten years after they first enrolled.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Data year: 2022-23 academic year. Updated September 2026. Figures are averages across all students and will differ from what any individual pays.

How it compares to similar colleges

Each rating covers one measure against private nonprofit 4-year colleges nationally. Five stars means the top fifth on that measure. There is no overall score, because which of these matters is your call.

Affordability

$19,066

Better than 71% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1092 compared).

Completion

97%

Better than 100% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1063 compared).

Earnings

$101,817

Better than 97% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1087 compared).

Debt at graduation

$14,000

Better than 94% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1020 compared).

What these ratings are based on
Affordability
Based on average net price: what students receiving federal aid actually paid, after grants and scholarships. Your own cost depends on your family's finances.
Completion
Based on the share of first-time, full-time students who graduate within 150% of normal time. It excludes transfer and part-time students, which understates colleges serving many of them.
Earnings
Based on median earnings ten years after students first enrolled. It reflects the subjects a college teaches and the region it sits in as much as its teaching.
Debt at graduation
Based on median federal loan debt among students who completed. Private and parent loans are not included, so real totals are often higher.
Why there is no rating for selectivity
A lower acceptance rate is selectivity, not quality. Awarding stars for it would be us inventing a value judgement and hiding it behind a number.

What it actually costs

Published cost

$85,540

The sticker price: tuition, fees, housing, food and books for one academic year, before any aid.

Average net price

$19,066

What students receiving federal aid actually paid on average, after grants and scholarships. This is the more useful number, though your own figure depends on your family’s finances.

Use this college’s official net price calculator

Outcomes

Graduation, retention, debt and earnings for Harvard University
Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time97%
Retention rateFirst-year students who return98%
Median debt at graduationFederal loans only, students who completed$14,000
Median earnings, 10 years after entryFormer students, working and not enrolled$101,817

What graduates of each major earn

Median earnings one year after finishing, for people who took that subject here. This is the figure a college-wide median hides: the spread between subjects at one college is usually far wider than the spread between colleges.

Bachelor’s programs at Harvard University by graduate earnings
MajorEarnings, 1 yrDegrees awarded
Computer Science$152,251183
Statistics$141,11652
Applied Mathematics$114,279120
Economics$103,993258
Natural Sciences$69,24229
Political Science and Government$61,543164
Social Sciences, General$56,540189
History$53,468161
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences$51,56975
Neurobiology and Neurosciences$46,993100
Research and Experimental Psychology$41,501101
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology$31,99960
English Language and Literature, General$30,83838
ChemistryNot reported76
MathematicsNot reported61
PhysicsNot reported51
Engineering ScienceNot reported43
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group StudiesNot reported34
SociologyNot reported33
PhilosophyNot reported32
Visual and Performing Arts, GeneralNot reported26
AnthropologyNot reported25
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesNot reported25
Area StudiesNot reported25
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and ServicesNot reported22
Mechanical EngineeringNot reported20
Fine and Studio ArtsNot reported19
Astronomy and AstrophysicsNot reported18
Biomedical/Medical EngineeringNot reported16
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reported14
Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchNot reported13
MusicNot reported10
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications EngineeringNot reported8
Religion/Religious StudiesNot reported8
Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reported5
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reported3
Geological and Earth Sciences/GeosciencesNot reportedNot reported
Turkic, Uralic-Altaic, Caucasian, and Central Asian Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reportedNot reported
African Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reportedNot reported
South Asian Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reportedNot reported
Biology, GeneralNot reportedNot reported
Southeast Asian and Australasian/Pacific Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reportedNot reported
ArcheologyNot reportedNot reported
Medieval and Renaissance StudiesNot reportedNot reported
Psychology, GeneralNot reportedNot reported
Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementNot reportedNot reported
Education, GeneralNot reportedNot reported
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reportedNot reported
Behavioral SciencesNot reportedNot reported
Celtic Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reportedNot reported
Leisure and Recreational ActivitiesNot reportedNot reported
Intelligence, Command Control and Information OperationsNot reportedNot reported
Business Administration, Management and OperationsNot reportedNot reported
MarketingNot reportedNot reported
Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reportedNot reported
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reportedNot reported
Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and AnalysisNot reportedNot reported
Microbiological Sciences and ImmunologyNot reportedNot reported
Sustainability StudiesNot reportedNot reported
Film/Video and Photographic ArtsNot reportedNot reported
Theological and Ministerial StudiesNot reportedNot reported
Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftNot reportedNot reported
Public HealthNot reportedNot reported
Human Resources Management and ServicesNot reportedNot reported
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular BiologyNot reportedNot reported
Business/Corporate CommunicationsNot reportedNot reported

All 66 bachelor’s programs this college reported.

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