Harvard University: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
Harvard University is a private nonprofit college in Cambridge, MA. Students pay about $19,066 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $101,817 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 1.6 years and adds $460,906 over a decade, ranking it #11 of 918 (top 2%) by value added.
What is Harvard University's acceptance rate?
Harvard University has an acceptance rate of 3.6%, which makes it highly selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in Cambridge, MA enrolling about 7,601 students, with a 97.5% graduation rate.
How much does Harvard University cost?
Harvard University costs about $19,066 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $90,264. Published sticker cost of attendance is $85,540 per year.
How much do Harvard University graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Harvard University student earns $101,817 per year. That is $55,117 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is Harvard University worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
Harvard University pays back its roughly $90,264 cost in about 1.6 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $460,906 net of cost, a 6.11x return on the money invested. That ranks it #11 of 918 (top 2%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and a high graduation rate.
Top 10% value
Harvard University graduation rate and student debt
97.5% of Harvard University students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $14,000 in federal student debt. That debt is about 14% of one year of median graduate earnings.
Harvard University by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How Harvard University compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $19,066 | $20,299 | cheaper than 55% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $101,817 | $54,768 | 98th |
| Graduation rate | 97.5% | 57.0% | 100th |
| Acceptance rate | 3.6% | 75.7% | more selective than 100% |
| 10-yr value added | $460,906 | -$28,192 | 99th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 6.11x | 0.73x | 99th |
| Payback period | 1.6 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 99% |
Frequently asked
Is Harvard University worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, Harvard University ranks #11 of 918 (top 2%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 6.11x the money invested over a decade.
Is Harvard University expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $19,066 average net price is below the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 55% of them.
Do Harvard University graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $101,817 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 98% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into Harvard University compared to other colleges?
Its 3.6% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 100% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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