Harvard vs Brandeis

When it comes to higher education, Harvard University and Brandeis University stand out as two of the most prestigious institutions in the United States. While both offer world-class academics and a vibrant campus life, there are some key differences between the two that prospective students should consider. Harvard, with its lower acceptance rate, larger endowment, and more diverse student body, attracts a highly competitive pool of applicants. Brandeis, on the other hand, offers a more intimate learning environment, smaller class sizes, and a focus on undergraduate research. To help you make an informed decision about which university is the right fit for you, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into the details of each institution, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates.
Brandeis University logo

Brandeis University

Harvard University logo

Harvard University

Overview

Location Waltham, Massachusetts Cambridge, Massachusetts
Campus setting City: Small 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 Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 39.1% 4.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $80

Graduate: $75
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $105
SAT range 1370 - 1530 1480 - 1580
ACT range 31 - 34 33 - 36
Students submitting SAT score 40.0% 54.0%
Students submitting ACT score 17.0% 31.0%
Total number of applicants 9,796 57,786
Total number of admissions given out 3,834 2,318
Admitted students who chose to enroll 943 1,951
Yield rate 24.6% 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 $75,006 $78,028
Average net price $35,147 $13,910
Tuition $59,408 $51,143
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,380

Meal plan: $7,070
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)

83.0%
Average amount $29,119
56.0%
Average amount $59,840
Students receiving federal student loan 26.0%
Average amount $3,948
3.0%
Average amount $5,180
Students taking out private loans 3.0%
Average amount $22,397
2.0%
Average amount $8,080

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 3,591
Men 40.5% Women 59.5%
9,579
Men 49.0% Women 51.0%
Graduate students 1,967
Men 43.5% Women 56.5%
21,766
Men 46.3% Women 53.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 25.4% 23.9%
Campus local/setting City: Small City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 2,950 12,874
First year students are required to live on campus? No Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Mississippi New York New Jersey California Connecticut New York California Texas Illinois New Jersey

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Social Sciences
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • Education
  • Legal Profession
Students to faculty ratio 10:1 7:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 87.5% 96.7%
Dropout rate 4.5% 2.0%
Transferred out 7.2% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $84,340
  • Year 2: $80,309
  • Year 3: $101,400
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,678
  • Year 2: $72,214
  • Year 3: $85,160
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,105
  • Year 2: $66,401
  • Year 3: $70,790
Economics (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,731
  • Year 2: $55,840
  • Year 3: $64,826
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,010
  • Year 2: $54,192
  • Year 3: $63,166
Public Policy Analysis (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,126
  • Year 2: $55,286
  • Year 3: $59,597
Anthropology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $32,925
  • Year 3: $49,902
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,983
  • Year 2: $44,356
  • Year 3: $49,523
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,142
  • Year 2: $37,208
  • Year 3: $47,023
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,477
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $46,669
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

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.