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George Washington University (GWU) vs Harvard

When it comes to higher education, George Washington University and Harvard University stand out as two of the most prestigious institutions in the United States. While they share a reputation for academic excellence, these universities have distinct characteristics that cater to different student profiles. With acceptance rates of 44% and 5%, respectively, GWU offers a more accessible path to admission compared to Harvard's highly selective process. In terms of popular majors, GWU excels in political science, international affairs, and business, while Harvard boasts strengths in social sciences, engineering, and life sciences. GWU's diverse student body reflects its urban location in Washington, D.C., while Harvard's student population is known for its international diversity. Both universities boast impressive graduation rates, with GWU at 88% and Harvard at 97%. To help you make an informed decision about your academic journey, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these aspects and more. Explore the table to discover
George Washington University logo

George Washington University

 		Harvard University logo

Harvard University

Overview

Location Washington, District of Columbia 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 91.0% 96.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 49.7% 4.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $80
Graduate: $80
Undergraduate: $75
Graduate: $105
SAT range 1310 - 1490 1480 - 1580
ACT range 30 - 34 33 - 36
Students submitting SAT score 29.0% 54.0%
Students submitting ACT score 18.0% 31.0%
Total number of applicants 27,236 57,786
Total number of admissions given out 13,539 2,318
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,571 1,951
Yield rate 19.0% 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) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $78,335 $78,028
Average net price $31,240 $13,910
Tuition $59,780 $51,143
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $15,260
Meal plan: $3,240
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)

 74.0%
Average amount $31,678 		56.0%
Average amount $59,840
Students receiving federal student loan 30.0%
Average amount $5,150 		3.0%
Average amount $5,180
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $25,366 		2.0%
Average amount $8,080

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students 11,502
Men 36.3% Women 63.7% 		9,579
Men 49.0% Women 51.0%
Graduate students 14,955
Men 38.1% Women 61.9% 		21,766
Men 46.3% Women 53.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 98.7% N/A
International students 11.6% 23.9%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 6,693 12,874
First year students are required to live on campus? No Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New York New Jersey Virginia California Pennsylvania New York California Texas Illinois New Jersey

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Social Sciences
  • Legal Profession
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • Education
  • Legal Profession
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 7:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 83.7% 96.7%
Dropout rate 16.1% 2.0%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Systems Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $160,692
  • Year 2: $146,893
  • Year 3: $153,607
Human Resources Management and Services (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $124,764
  • Year 2: $106,421
  • Year 3: $130,306
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $124,241
  • Year 2: $127,142
  • Year 3: $127,952
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $107,834
  • Year 2: $114,046
  • Year 3: $119,393
Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $106,809
  • Year 2: $101,072
  • Year 3: $112,813
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $98,922
  • Year 2: $104,061
  • Year 3: $111,679
Public Health (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $84,962
  • Year 2: $104,192
  • Year 3: $105,816
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $104,747
  • Year 2: $96,405
  • Year 3: $105,562
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,274
  • Year 2: $101,254
  • Year 3: $103,350
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $77,345
  • Year 2: $83,177
  • Year 3: $102,875
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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