Brown University vs Harvard

Brown University and Harvard University, two of the most prestigious institutions in the Ivy League, offer students a world-class education and a transformative college experience. While they share a commitment to academic excellence and a vibrant campus culture, there are some key differences between the two universities. Brown, known for its open curriculum and collaborative learning environment, boasts a lower acceptance rate and a more diverse student body compared to Harvard. Harvard, on the other hand, offers a wider range of academic programs, including more popular majors like Economics and Computer Science, and has a slightly higher graduation rate. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve deeper into these distinctions and discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Brown University logo

Brown University

Harvard University logo

Harvard University

Overview

Location Providence, Rhode Island Cambridge, Massachusetts
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 98.0% 96.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 5.5% 4.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $75
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $105
SAT range 1460 - 1570 1480 - 1580
ACT range 33 - 35 33 - 36
Students submitting SAT score 51.0% 54.0%
Students submitting ACT score 30.0% 31.0%
Total number of applicants 46,568 57,786
Total number of admissions given out 2,568 2,318
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,705 1,951
Yield rate 66.4% 84.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $82,570 $78,028
Average net price $25,028 $13,910
Tuition $60,944 $51,143
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $10,054

Meal plan: $6,292
Room/dormitory: $11,705

Meal plan: $7,236
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

46.0%
Average amount $55,420
56.0%
Average amount $59,840
Students receiving federal student loan 9.0%
Average amount $5,159
3.0%
Average amount $5,180
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $27,008
2.0%
Average amount $8,080

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 7,349
Men 48.1% Women 51.9%
9,579
Men 49.0% Women 51.0%
Graduate students 3,347
Men 50.0% Women 50.0%
21,766
Men 46.3% Women 53.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 96.5% N/A
International students 18.6% 23.9%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 5,013 12,874
First year students are required to live on campus? Yes Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New York California Mississippi New Jersey Texas New York California Texas Illinois New Jersey

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • Education
  • Legal Profession
Students to faculty ratio 6:1 7:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 95.8% 96.7%
Dropout rate 3.7% 2.0%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $130,101
  • Year 2: $153,718
  • Year 3: $184,762
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,532
  • Year 2: $88,506
  • Year 3: $97,037
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,171
  • Year 2: $73,769
  • Year 3: $91,029
Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,583
  • Year 2: $75,921
  • Year 3: $80,783
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,028
  • Year 2: $63,302
  • Year 3: $78,949
Public Policy Analysis (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,505
  • Year 2: $61,020
  • Year 3: $74,894
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,843
  • Year 2: $61,294
  • Year 3: $73,224
International Relations and National Security Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,882
  • Year 2: $50,105
  • Year 3: $65,953
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,247
  • Year 2: $58,673
  • Year 3: $63,507
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,186
  • Year 2: $53,108
  • Year 3: $62,581
Statistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,193
  • Year 2: $128,716
  • Year 3: $240,408
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $184,307
  • Year 2: $165,340
  • Year 3: $199,043
Business Administration, Management and Operations (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $171,333
  • Year 2: $171,907
  • Year 3: $187,553
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $140,072
  • Year 2: $128,737
  • Year 3: $163,896
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $151,371
  • Year 2: $174,023
  • Year 3: $163,512
Public Health (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $123,508
  • Year 2: $117,916
  • Year 3: $129,281
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $106,421
  • Year 3: $121,832
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $102,707
  • Year 2: $90,856
  • Year 3: $121,771
Education, General (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $97,905
  • Year 2: $98,670
  • Year 3: $107,389
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,745
  • Year 2: $71,486
  • Year 3: $106,375

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