New EnglandUrbanPrivate4-yearSocial & Science+ Reach

Harvard University

A reach for almost every applicant, including very strong ones.

Cambridge, MA7,755 students
Acceptance Rate
3%
most selective
Median SAT
1,553
Middle 50%: 1500–1580
Net Price After Aid
$16.8k
Sticker $59.1k
Graduation Rate
97%
6-year, full-time

Harvard University is a private institution in Cambridge, MA with an acceptance rate of 3% and 7,755 students. The middle 50% of admitted students score 1500–1580 on the SAT. The average net price after financial aid is $16,816 per year.

About Harvard University

A private 4-year urban university in Cambridge, MA.

Harvard University is a college in Cambridge, MA. It enrolls roughly 7,755 students. The most recent acceptance rate is 3%. Admitted students typically score between 1500 and 1580 on the SAT.

New EnglandUrbanPrivate4-yearSocial & Science
Acceptance Rate
3%
Most Selective
Total Enrollment
7,755
Medium
Retention
99%
First-years returning
Graduation Rate
97%
6-year, full-time

Your chances at this school

A clear-eyed view of how your profile compares to admitted students — and the things that would move your odds the most.

Acceptance Rate
3%
3 of every 100 applicants admitted
Your Chances
Sign in to see your personalized probability.
Admitted Student GPA

Harvard University is a reach school for the average admitted student profile. A reach for almost every applicant, including very strong ones. Here is what would make your application as competitive as possible.

Things that would move your odds the most

  1. Aim for an SAT of 1500+
    Hitting the 25th percentile puts you in the competitive range for admitted students.
  2. Build a single deep extracurricular peak
    Depth beats breadth at selective schools — one nationally-visible accomplishment outperforms ten clubs.
  3. Strengthen one teacher recommendation
    A specific, personal letter from a teacher who knows your work moves the needle.

Probability is based on a model trained on historical admissions data. It is a guide, not a guarantee. Admissions decisions weigh essays, recommendations, and fit factors that aren't in the data.

Admissions

What it actually takes to get into Harvard University. Test scores, GPA, application requirements, and deadlines.

Admitted student profile

Range shown is the middle 50%.

SAT
composite, 1600 scale
1,5001,580
1,553
average
ACT
composite, 36 scale
3436
35
average
GPA
weighted, 4.5 max

Cost & financial aid

Published costs can be misleading. Here's what families actually pay at Harvard University after grants and scholarships.

Sticker price
Tuition $59,076
Average net price after aid
$16,816
After grants and scholarships

Net price by family income

Average amount paid out of pocket — tuition, fees, and room & board minus all grant aid.

$0 – $30,000
$2,895
$30,001 – $48,000
$2,496
$48,001 – $75,000
$2,167
$75,001 – $110,000
N/A
$110,001 +
$53,571

Net price represents the average cost after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal financial aid.

Pell Grant Recipients
16%
Need-based federal grant
Take Federal Loans
5%
Avg loan $12,500 / year
Avg Grant Aid
Per receiving student / year

Academics & majors

Where students at Harvard University concentrate, and how the classroom experience scales.

Student : Faculty
Class-size proxy
Primary Focus
Social & Science
32% of degrees awarded
Retention
99%
First-years returning
A breakdown of the top majors by share of degrees awarded ships once we finish backfilling per-school program data.

Student body

Who attends Harvard University. Enrollment, diversity, and where students come from.

Race & ethnicity

  • White37%
  • Asian24%
  • Hispanic13%
  • Black10%
  • International16%

Gender

  • Female50%
  • Male50%
International
14%
Of total enrollment
Live on Campus
Undergraduate residential rate
Total Enrollment
7,755

Outcomes after graduation

What Harvard University graduates do next — and what they earn.

Median Earnings
$102k
10 years after enrollment
Employed at 2 yrs
Working or in grad school
Pursue Grad School
Within 5 years
Graduation Rate
97%
6-year, full-time

What this means

$102k is well above the national bachelor's-graduate median at the 10-year mark, and a 97% graduation rate puts Harvard University in the top tier nationally.

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