OpenDecisionsPrototype

Harvard University

Cambridge, MA, US

305 programs · Private nonprofit

inst:us:ipeds:166027

Decision brief

Can I get in?

Acceptance rate3.5%

Yield83.7%

SAT/ACT policy

Fall 2023: Required to be considered for admission
Fall 2022: Consider if Submitted [cite: 2131]
Fall 2021: Consider if Submitted
Fall 2020: Require
Fall 2019: Require

Source: College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts InstitutionCommon Data Set (CDS) Harvard 2023-2024As of: Fall 2024

Can I afford it?

Affordability Index (AFuI)78 / 100

What students typically pay after aid$16,816

Tuition and fees$61,676

Room and board$21,100

Cost of attendance$89,315

Median debt$12,500

Debt low (10th %)$2,700

Debt high (90th %)$29,889

Pell share15.8%

Share with federal loans4.9%

Source: College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts InstitutionCommon Data Set (CDS) Harvard 2023-2024College Navigator – Harvard UniversityAs of: 2025

Will it pay off?

Outcome Value Index (OVI)93 / 100

Graduation rate98.2%

Median earnings (10y)$101,817

Source: College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts InstitutionAs of: 2024

Trust

Data Quality Index (DQI)93 / 100

Range88-98

Source: College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts InstitutionCommon Data Set (CDS) Harvard 2023-2024

Confidence lens for other metrics.

Indexes (we are developing)

Composite scores for decision support. Click a score for formula, calculation, and what it means.

Data quality: 93 / 100 — High confidence: metrics are shown with standard precision.

Student profile mode

Enter your grades and test scores below. We estimate how your academics compare to this school’s admitted students and show a Safety / Match / Reach band. Schools also consider essays, recommendations, and more—we don’t have those, so use this as one input among many.

How this estimate works

What we use (you enter)

GPA and SAT or ACT are compared to this school’s reported admitted ranges. That gives an academic fit score. We combine it with the school’s selectivity to get a band: Safety (typically admitted range), Match (in the mix), or Reach (more selective than your numbers). We don’t score essays, recommendations, or interviews.

What this school considers (from CDS)

This school reports considering: rigor of secondary school record, gpa, recommendations, standardized test scores, application essay, interview, extracurricular activities, talent ability and 6 more. Not considered: class rank, state residency, religious affiliation. Our band does not include these; use it as one input among many.

GPA (4.0 scale) *SAT *ACT *Ability to pay (USD/year)Residency

* Required fields: GPA and either SAT or ACT.

Enter GPA and either SAT or ACT to calculate.

Missingness: —. Confidence: unknown. International residency may affect net price applicability.

Stats

Evidence Lab

Key metrics

Admission cycle: Fall 2024

Tuition and fees

$61,676

Room and board

$21,100

Cost of attendance

$89,315

Completion rate

98.4%

Median earnings

$104,267

Applications

56,937

Admitted

1,965

Enrolled

1,645

Acceptance rate

3.5%

SAT range (25th–75th)

SAT 1500–1580

ACT range (25th–75th)

ACT 34–36

Enrollment snapshot

Gender

46.9% Male53.1% Female

Race / ethnicity (% of enrollment)

Admissions

Source: CDS C.1

Cycle: Fall 2024

Acceptance rate 3.5%

56,937 applicants → 1,965 admitted → 1,645 enrolled

Test score ranges (25th–75th)

Source: CDS C.9

Cycle: Fall 2024

Enrolled freshmen, as reported by the institution.

SAT (200–800 per section)

ACT Composite (1–36)

Completion rates

Graduate earnings

Trend insights

Quick directional summary from earliest to latest available years.

Acceptance rate: down 1.2 pts (less favorable)
Yield rate: up 1.6 pts (more favorable)
Typical net price: down 1084.0 USD (more favorable)
Tuition and fees: up 5089.0 USD (less favorable)
Room and board: up 2159.0 USD (less favorable)
Cost of attendance: up 8023.0 USD (less favorable)
Graduation rate: stable

Trend analysis: admissions competitiveness

Tracks applications, acceptance rate, and yield across cycles.

Trend analysis: affordability and outcomes

Tracks net price and graduation outcomes over time.

Trend analysis: cost / sticker price

How published tuition and fees, room and board, and total cost of attendance have changed over the years.

Trend analysis: tests

Tracks SAT/ACT submission rates and percentile ranges across cycles.

Evidence Lab

Every student-facing metric with definition, source, as-of date, and limitations. Full disclosure for verification.

Admission

Metric	Value	Definition	Source	As of	Limitations
Acceptance rate	3.5%	Percentage of applicants offered admission for this cycle.	College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts InstitutionCommon Data Set (CDS) Harvard 2023-2024	Fall 2024	First-time, degree-seeking undergraduates only. May reflect one admission cycle (e.g. Fall).
Yield rate	83.7%	Percentage of admitted students who enrolled.	College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts InstitutionCommon Data Set (CDS) Harvard 2023-2024	Fall 2024	First-time, full-time enrollees. One cycle only.
Applications / admitted / enrolled	56,937 / 1,965 / 1,645	Counts for this cycle: applicants, then admitted, then enrolled.	College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts InstitutionCommon Data Set (CDS) Harvard 2023-2024	Fall 2024	First-time, first-year; full-time enrollment where applicable.
Selection factors	—	Factors the institution reports considering in admission (e.g. rigor, GPA, tests, essay).	College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts InstitutionCommon Data Set (CDS) Harvard 2023-2024	Fall 2024	As reported by the institution in CDS; not weighted.
SAT/ACT policy	—	Whether test scores are required, optional, or not considered for admission.	College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts InstitutionCommon Data Set (CDS) Harvard 2023-2024	Fall 2024	Policy may change by cycle; check institution for current year.
Class rank submitted	—	Percentage of enrolled first-year students who submitted class rank.	College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts InstitutionCommon Data Set (CDS) Harvard 2023-2024	Fall 2024	First-time, first-year enrollees only.

Cost

Metric	Value	Definition	Source	As of	Limitations
What students typically pay after aid	—	Average net price (tuition + fees + room/board minus grants and scholarships) for students who received aid.	College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts InstitutionCommon Data Set (CDS) Harvard 2023-2024College Navigator – Harvard University	2025	Often for domestic, full-time undergraduates receiving federal aid. International and part-time may differ.
Median debt at completion	—	Median federal loan debt for borrowers who completed their program.	College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts InstitutionCommon Data Set (CDS) Harvard 2023-2024College Navigator – Harvard University	2025	Federal loans only; excludes private loans and parent PLUS. Completion cohort may lag several years.
Pell grant share	—	Percentage of undergraduates who received a federal Pell grant.	College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts InstitutionCommon Data Set (CDS) Harvard 2023-2024College Navigator – Harvard University	2025	Full-time, first-time degree-seeking in many reports.

Outcomes

Metric	Value	Definition	Source	As of	Limitations
Graduation rate (6-year)	98.2%	Percentage of first-time, full-time students who graduated within 6 years.	College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts Institution	2024	First-time, full-time bachelor’s-seeking cohort. Cohort year is typically several years in the past.
Retention rate	—	Percentage of first-time students who returned for their second year.	College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts Institution	2024	First-time, full-time at 4-year institutions in many reports.
Median earnings (10 years after)	$101,817	Median earnings of students working and not enrolled, about 10 years after first entering college.	College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts Institution	2024	Earnings data can lag 2–3 years. Excludes those not in the workforce or not matched to earnings data.

Indexes

Metric	Value	Definition	Source	As of	Limitations
Data quality	93 / 100	How much you can trust the numbers on this page. Higher means the data is up to date, mostly complete, and traceable to official sources.	—	—	Based on how fresh the data is, how much is missing, whether it’s from official sources, and whether sources agree.
Outcomes score	93 / 100	Combines graduation rate and graduate earnings into one 0–100 score. Higher means stronger outcomes (more graduates and better pay).	—	—	About 60% graduation rate and 40% earnings (scaled 0–100). Earnings data may lag 2–3 years.
Affordability	78 / 100	How affordable this school is compared to a reference budget. Higher = lower cost relative to ability to pay.	—	—	Compares typical net price (what students pay after aid) to a reference ability to pay. Net price here is often for domestic aid recipients only.
Competitiveness	82 / 100	How selective the school is (acceptance rate, yield). Higher = harder to get in.	—	—	Based on acceptance rate and yield (share of admitted students who enroll). May also use application growth when available.

Cost & financial aid

Academic year 2025All amounts in USD
Sticker price (before aid)
Published cost before aid
Books and supplies$1,000
Room and board (on-campus)$21,100
Other expenses (on-campus)$5,449
Total cost of attendance$89,315
Tuition and fees (out-of-state)$61,676
Academic year 2024All amounts in USD
Net price
Typical net price
$16,816
What students typically pay after grants and scholarships (academic year).
Net price by family income
Family income $0–$30,000$2,895
Family income $30,001–$48,000$2,496
Family income $48,001–$75,000$2,167
Family income $75,001–$110,000$13,937
Family income $110,001 and up$53,571
Students in net price cohort: 432
Sticker price (before aid)
Published cost before aid
Share of full-time faculty$1
Tuition per full-time equivalent (FTE)$35,586
Instructional expenditure per FTE (full-time equivalent)$46,842
Average faculty salary$23,783
Books and supplies$1,000
Room and board (on-campus)$20,374
Other expenses (on-campus)$6,255
Tuition and fees (in-state)$59,076
Total cost of attendance$82,842
Tuition and fees (out-of-state)$59,076
Financial aid
Financial aid
Share with federal loans4.9%
Share receiving Pell Grant (federal need-based grant)15.8%
First-time full-time: share with federal loans3.9%
First-time full-time: share receiving Pell Grant20.9%
Debt at graduation
Student debt
Median debt at graduation$12,500
Median debt (graduates)$14,000
Median debt (withdrawals)$11,118
Median debt (10-year repayment)$148
Median debt (low-income family)$12,500
Median debt (middle-income family)$13,250
Median debt (high-income family)$11,535
Median debt (dependent students)$8,067
Median debt (independent students)$17,977
Median debt (Pell Grant recipients)$16,375
Median debt (non–Pell Grant)$12,000
Median debt (female)$12,500
Median debt (male)$12,500
Median debt (first-generation)$12,736
Median debt (not first-generation)$11,535
Borrowers in cohort (all)660
Borrowers (graduates)323
Borrowers (withdrawals)337
Borrowers (cumulative debt cohort)704
Cumulative debt (10th percentile)$2,700
Cumulative debt (25th percentile)$4,379
Cumulative debt (75th percentile)$16,136
Cumulative debt (90th percentile)$29,889

Sources

Harvard University

Decision brief

Can I get in?

Can I afford it?

Will it pay off?

Trust

Indexes (we are developing)

Student profile mode

How this estimate works

Evidence Lab

Admission

Cost

Outcomes

Indexes

Programs (305)

Location & identifiers

Classification

Enrollment

Admissions

Selection basis (CDS)

Tests and score context

Cost & financial aid

Sticker price (before aid)

Net price

Sticker price (before aid)

Financial aid

Debt at graduation

Outcomes

Federal aid

Derived indexes

Data quality

Outcomes score

Affordability

Completion risk

Competitiveness