Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) vs Harvard

In the realm of higher education, Case Western Reserve University and Harvard University stand as two prominent institutions, each offering a distinct academic experience. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in several key aspects. Case Western Reserve boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for aspiring students. Harvard, on the other hand, is renowned for its rigorous admissions process, resulting in a highly selective student body. Furthermore, the two universities offer diverse academic programs, with Case Western Reserve excelling in engineering, nursing, and management, while Harvard is known for its strengths in social sciences, humanities, and law. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve deeper into the differences between these two esteemed institutions and discover which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and goals.
Case Western Reserve University logo

Case Western Reserve University

Harvard University logo

Harvard University

Overview

Location Cleveland, Ohio Cambridge, Massachusetts
Campus setting City: Large 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 94.0% 96.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 30.2% 4.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $105
SAT range 1410 - 1530 1480 - 1580
ACT range 32 - 35 33 - 36
Students submitting SAT score 39.0% 54.0%
Students submitting ACT score 31.0% 31.0%
Total number of applicants 33,232 57,786
Total number of admissions given out 10,049 2,318
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,606 1,951
Yield rate 16.0% 84.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $74,114 $78,028
Average net price $38,166 $13,910
Tuition $54,020 $51,143
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,584

Meal plan: $6,898
Room/dormitory: $11,705

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

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

81.0%
Average amount $33,761
56.0%
Average amount $59,840
Students receiving federal student loan 61.0%
Average amount $5,091
3.0%
Average amount $5,180
Students taking out private loans 7.0%
Average amount $11,016
2.0%
Average amount $8,080

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 5,792
Men 52.5% Women 47.5%
9,579
Men 49.0% Women 51.0%
Graduate students 6,350
Men 45.1% Women 54.9%
21,766
Men 46.3% Women 53.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 79.8% N/A
International students 19.2% 23.9%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 4,494 12,874
First year students are required to live on campus? No Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Ohio New York Illinois Pennsylvania California New York California Texas Illinois New Jersey

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Legal Profession
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • Education
  • Legal Profession
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 7:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 84.4% 96.7%
Dropout rate 15.1% 2.0%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $166,462
  • Year 2: $165,486
  • Year 3: $172,180
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $162,463
  • Year 3: $149,793
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $93,570
  • Year 2: $106,935
  • Year 3: $130,724
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $112,016
  • Year 2: $104,192
  • Year 3: $106,740
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $106,684
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $81,427
  • Year 2: $85,860
  • Year 3: $102,295
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,016
  • Year 2: $90,856
  • Year 3: $89,798
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,820
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $88,856
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,006
  • Year 2: $71,575
  • Year 3: $87,454
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,394
  • Year 2: $73,949
  • Year 3: $87,134
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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