Harvard vs New York University (NYU)

When it comes to higher education, Harvard University and New York University stand out as two of the most prestigious and sought-after institutions in the world. While they share a reputation for academic excellence, these universities have distinct characteristics that cater to different student preferences and aspirations. Harvard, known for its rigorous curriculum and Ivy League status, boasts an acceptance rate of 4.5%, making it highly selective. NYU, on the other hand, offers a more diverse and vibrant urban experience with an acceptance rate of 16.2%. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details about these universities, including popular majors, student body demographics, graduation rates, and more, to help you make an informed decision about your academic journey.
Harvard University logo

Harvard University

New York University logo

New York University

Overview

Location Cambridge, Massachusetts New York, New York
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Large
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 96.0% 94.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 4.0% 13.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $105
Undergraduate: $80

Graduate: $110
SAT range 1480 - 1580 1450 - 1570
ACT range 33 - 36 32 - 35
Students submitting SAT score 54.0% 23.0%
Students submitting ACT score 31.0% 9.0%
Total number of applicants 57,786 95,517
Total number of admissions given out 2,318 12,380
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,951 6,097
Yield rate 84.2% 49.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required 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 $78,028 $79,746
Average net price $13,910 $50,991
Tuition $51,143 $53,770
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $11,705

Meal plan: $7,236
Room/dormitory: $14,232

Meal plan: $5,450
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Other alternative tuition plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

56.0%
Average amount $59,840
75.0%
Average amount $25,047
Students receiving federal student loan 3.0%
Average amount $5,180
25.0%
Average amount $5,094
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $8,080
3.0%
Average amount $37,948

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 9,579
Men 49.0% Women 51.0%
28,772
Men 41.8% Women 58.2%
Graduate students 21,766
Men 46.3% Women 53.7%
29,454
Men 42.4% Women 57.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A 67.6%
International students 23.9% 30.2%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Large
Dormitory capacity 12,874 13,063
First year students are required to live on campus? Yes No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New York California Texas Illinois New Jersey New York California New Jersey Texas Florida

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • Education
  • Legal Profession
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Engineering
  • Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio 7:1 8:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 96.7% 86.9%
Dropout rate 2.0% 6.5%
Transferred out N/A 5.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
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
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $189,685
  • Year 2: $174,714
  • Year 3: $209,134
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $178,151
  • Year 3: $180,551
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $148,198
  • Year 2: $145,543
  • Year 3: $162,625
Legal Professions and Studies, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $161,093
  • Year 2: $137,921
  • Year 3: $158,306
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $99,979
  • Year 2: $111,769
  • Year 3: $135,122
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $93,668
  • Year 2: $112,328
  • Year 3: $125,640
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $119,483
  • Year 2: $111,833
  • Year 3: $121,619
Real Estate (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $102,871
  • Year 2: $104,597
  • Year 3: $117,508
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,198
  • Year 2: $81,886
  • Year 3: $113,230
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $75,653
  • Year 2: $79,957
  • Year 3: $104,670

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.
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