Lesley University vs Harvard

Lesley University and Harvard University, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, stand apart in their offerings and student experiences. Lesley, a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, prides itself on its small class sizes, personalized attention, and focus on undergraduate education. Harvard, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts, is renowned for its academic rigor, world-class faculty, and extensive resources. While both universities share a commitment to excellence, they differ significantly in acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Harvard University logo

Harvard University

Lesley University logo

Lesley University

Overview

Location Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge, Massachusetts
Campus setting City: Midsize 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 96.0% 75.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 4.0% 86.9%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $105
SAT range 1480 - 1580 N/A
ACT range 33 - 36 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 54.0%
Students submitting ACT score 31.0%
Total number of applicants 57,786 2,942
Total number of admissions given out 2,318 2,558
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,951 280
Yield rate 84.2% 10.9%
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 Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $78,028 $41,775
Average net price $13,910 $31,928
Tuition $51,143 $29,200
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $11,705

Meal plan: $7,236
Room/dormitory: $10,060

Meal plan: $6,900
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

56.0%
Average amount $59,840
100.0%
Average amount $16,316
Students receiving federal student loan 3.0%
Average amount $5,180
59.0%
Average amount $5,124
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $8,080
7.0%
Average amount $15,411

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 9,579
Men 49.0% Women 51.0%
1,757
Men 23.4% Women 76.6%
Graduate students 21,766
Men 46.3% Women 53.7%
2,253
Men 13.6% Women 86.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 23.9% 3.7%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 12,874 799
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 N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • Education
  • Legal Profession
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Liberal Arts
  • Business
Students to faculty ratio 7:1 10:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 96.7% 60.5%
Dropout rate 2.0% 12.4%
Transferred out N/A 26.3%
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
Education, General (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,807
  • Year 2: $85,760
  • Year 3: $80,016
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,822
  • Year 2: $53,298
  • Year 3: $57,561
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,186
  • Year 2: $50,606
  • Year 3: $57,321
Education, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,259
  • Year 2: $51,690
  • Year 3: $56,263
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,742
  • Year 2: $49,855
  • Year 3: $55,299
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,191
  • Year 2: $44,595
  • Year 3: $50,138
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,470
  • Year 2: $46,869
  • Year 3: $49,494
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,051
  • Year 2: $41,353
  • Year 3: $44,028
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $42,433
  • Year 3: $38,957
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,949
  • Year 2: $20,687
  • Year 3: $37,894

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