Dartmouth vs Harvard
Dartmouth College and Harvard University, two of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in the United States, offer prospective students a world-class education. While they share a commitment to academic excellence, these schools differ in several key aspects. Dartmouth, located in Hanover, New Hampshire, boasts a lower acceptance rate, a more rural setting, and a smaller student body compared to Harvard, situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard, on the other hand, offers a wider range of academic programs, including more graduate degrees, and a more diverse student body. Both institutions provide exceptional opportunities for students to excel academically, engage in research, and pursue extracurricular activities. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover which university better aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
|
![]() Dartmouth College |
![]() Harvard University |
---|---|---|
Overview |
||
Location | Hanover, New Hampshire | Cambridge, Massachusetts |
Campus setting | Town: Remote | City: Midsize |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Quarter | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 98.0% | 96.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | ||
|
||
Admission |
||
Acceptance rate | 6.2% | 4.0% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$80
Graduate:
$50
|
Undergraduate:
$75
Graduate:
$105
|
SAT range | 1440 - 1560 | 1480 - 1580 |
ACT range | 33 - 35 | 33 - 36 |
Students submitting SAT score | 47.0% | 54.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 30.0% | 31.0% |
Total number of applicants | 28,356 | 57,786 |
Total number of admissions given out | 1,750 | 2,318 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 1,221 | 1,951 |
Yield rate | 69.8% | 84.2% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | 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 | $81,501 | $78,028 |
Average net price | $24,078 | $13,910 |
Tuition | $58,953 | $51,143 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$10,569
Meal plan:
$6,792
|
Room/dormitory:
$11,705
Meal plan:
$7,236
|
Available payment plans |
|
|
|
||
Financial Aid |
||
Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
48.0%
Average amount $56,106 |
56.0%
Average amount $59,840 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
20.0%
Average amount $5,066 |
3.0%
Average amount $5,180 |
Students taking out private loans |
37.0%
Average amount $5,335 |
2.0%
Average amount $8,080 |
|
||
Students and Campus |
||
Undergraduate students |
4,556
Men 50.7% Women 49.3% |
9,579
Men 49.0% Women 51.0% |
Graduate students |
2,205
Men 50.4% Women 49.6% |
21,766
Men 46.3% Women 53.7% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Out-of-state students | 97.3% | N/A |
International students | 17.0% | 23.9% |
Campus local/setting | Town: Remote | City: Midsize |
Dormitory capacity | 3,733 | 12,874 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | Yes | Yes |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | California New York Mississippi New Jersey Texas | New York California Texas Illinois New Jersey |
|
||
Academics |
||
Popular study areas |
|
|
Students to faculty ratio | 7:1 | 7:1 |
Institutional accreditation | New England Commission on Higher Education | New England Commission on Higher Education |
|
||
Outcome |
||
Graduation rate | 93.6% | 96.7% |
Dropout rate | 4.9% | 2.0% |
Transferred out | N/A | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Public Health (First Professional Degrees)
Engineering Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
|
Statistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Law (First Professional Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (First Professional Degrees)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
Public Health (Master's Degrees)
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology (Master's Degrees)
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Education, General (Doctoral Degrees)
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
|
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.


























































































































