Harvard University

www.harvard.edu

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2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$54,269

3.06% growth from 2022

2023 Average Net Price

$17,900

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

0.0563%

on Student Loans

2023 Acceptance Rate

3.45%

56,937 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

30,386

68.5% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

97.3%

1,642 Graduates

About

Harvard University is a higher education institution located in Middlesex County, MA. In 2023, the most popular Masters Degree concentrations at Harvard University were General Business Administration & Management (876 degrees awarded), Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods (393 degrees), and Public Administration (374 degrees).

In 2023, 11,095 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Harvard University. 53.9% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 46.1% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (3,817 degrees), 2.49 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1,531 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Harvard University is $54,269, which is $23,266 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Harvard University was 0.0563%, corresponding to 1 out of the 1,775 total borrowers.

About the photo: Emerson Hall in a snowstorm

Photo by Colleen A. Bryant

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at Harvard University is $54,269, which is $23,266 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $17,900.

In 2023, 49% of undergraduate students attending Harvard University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 5% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$54,269

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at Harvard University was $54,269. The cost of tuition at Harvard University is $23,266 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Harvard University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$17,900

2023 Value

8.16%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 Harvard University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $17,900. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of Harvard University grew by 8.16%.

This chart compares the average net price of Harvard University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$19,502

Room and Board

$900

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Harvard University was of $19,502 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 2.96% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $900. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Harvard University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

49%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

49% of undergraduate students at Harvard University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a growth of 6.52% with respect to 2022, when 46% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Harvard University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

0.0563%

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Harvard University was 0.0563%, which represents 1 out of the 1775 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Harvard University received 56,937 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 7% annual growth. Out of those 56,937 applicants, 1,965 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 3.45% acceptance rate.

There were 30,386 students enrolled at Harvard University in 2023. 52% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Harvard University has an overall enrollment yield of 83.7%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

3.45%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

1,965

Accepted Out of 56,937

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Harvard University was 3.45% (1,965 admissions from 56,937 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 3.24%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants declined by 7%, while admissions declined by 0.958%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Harvard University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

52%

Submission Percentage (2023)

862

Scores Submitted (2023)

52% of enrolled first-time students at Harvard University in 2023 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Harvard University had a total enrollment of 30,386 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at Harvard University is 20,807 students and the part-time enrollment is 9,579. This means that 68.5% of students enrolled at Harvard University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Harvard University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 32.6% White, 14.8% Asian, 9.23% Hispanic or Latino, 6.44% Black or African American, 4.3% Two or More Races, 0.207% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.109% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Harvard University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (16.6%), followed by White Female (16.2%) and Asian Female (12.6%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (16.3%), followed by White Male (14.7%) and Asian Female (8.33%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

68.5%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Harvard University in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 30,386 students. The full-time enrollment at Harvard University is 20,807 and the part-time enrollment is 9,579. This means that 68.5% of students enrolled at Harvard University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.9% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Harvard University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

99%

2023 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Harvard University was 99%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), Harvard University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Harvard University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
9,917 enrolled students
Asian
4,495 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
2,804 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Harvard University is 32.6% White, 14.8% Asian, 9.23% Hispanic or Latino, 6.44% Black or African American, 4.3% Two or More Races, 0.207% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.109% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 46.5% White, 15.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.78% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1,934 students (6.36%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 855 more women than men received degrees from Harvard University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Harvard University is white (3,817 degrees awarded). There were 2.49 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1,531 degrees).

The most common Masters Degree concentration at Harvard University is General Business Administration & Management (876 degrees awarded), followed by Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods (393 degrees) and Public Administration (374 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Harvard University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Applied Sciences (139 degrees awarded), Legal (757 degrees), and Architecture and Related Services (201 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Harvard University are Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (123,930 people), Architects, except landscape and naval (106,891 people), Other managers (100,981 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (72,825 people), and Secondary school teachers (59,460 people).

The most specialized majors at Harvard University in 2023 are Applied Sciences (139 degrees awarded), Legal (757 degrees), Architecture and Related Services (201 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (141 degrees), and History (244 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Diagnostic medical sonographers

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Harvard University are Diagnostic medical sonographers, Surgeons, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, and Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

The most specialized majors at Harvard University are Applied Sciences (139 degrees awarded), Legal (757 degrees), Architecture and Related Services (201 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (141 degrees), and History (244 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Harvard University are Elementary & secondary schools (325,321 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (203,701 people), Legal services (126,230 people), Computer Systems Design (120,257 people), and Individual & family services (110,663 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Harvard University.

Most Common (2023)

General Business Administration & Management
876 degrees awarded
Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods
393 degrees awarded
Public Administration
374 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common masters degree concentration at Harvard University was General Business Administration & Management with 876 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from masters degree programs at Harvard University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

5,120

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

5,975

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 5,120 degrees were awarded to men at Harvard University, which is 0.857 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (5,975).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Harvard University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 457 degrees were awarded to men at Harvard University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.09 times more than the 419 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 419 degrees were awarded to men at Harvard University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.917 times less than the 457 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

86%

100% Completion Time

97%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 86% of students graduating from Harvard University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 97% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 98% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at Harvard University is Male and Asian (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Non-resident Alien Male students have the highest graduation rate (65.7%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1.46% of graduates (24 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
3,817 degrees awarded
Asian
1,531 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
932 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Harvard University is white (3,817 degrees awarded). There were 2.49 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1,531 degrees).

4.64% of degree recipients (515 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Female
2,030 degrees awarded
White Male
1,787 degrees awarded
Asian Female
897 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Harvard University is white female (2,030 degrees awarded). There were 1.14 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1,787 degrees).

Operations

Harvard University has an endowment valued at nearly $50.7B, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 1.63B (3.21%) compared to the 4.37% average return (19M on 434M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2023, Harvard University had a total salary expenditure of 5.91B. Harvard University employs 1,013 Professors, 279 Lecturers and 247 Assistant professors. Most academics at Harvard University are Male Professor (703), Female Professor (310), and Male Lecturer (153).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Harvard University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 2,885 employees, Computer, Engineering, and Science, with 2,166 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 1,931 employees.

Endowment

$50.7B

2023 Endowment

0.254%

decline from 2022

Harvard University has an endowment valued at about $50.7B, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of Harvard University declined 0.254% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $50.3B higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Harvard University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$649M - Federal
$30.7M - State
$891k - Local

As of 2023, Harvard University received $649M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $30.7M from state grants and contracts, and $891k from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$2.42B

2023 Salaries

9.73%

growth from 2022

In 2023, Harvard University paid a median of $2.42B in salaries, which represents 41% of their overall expenditure ($5.91B) and a 9.73% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 6.24% growth between 2021 and 2022, and a 2.57% decline between 2020 and 2021.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 246M (41.5% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$422M

Instructional Salaries

1,836

Number of Employees

In 2023, Harvard University paid a total of $422M to 1,836 employees working as instructors, which represents 17.4% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $6.13M (2.35%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

1,013 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

2,885 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at Harvard University were Professor with 1,013 employees, Lecturer with 279 employees, and Assistant professor with 247 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Harvard University were Business and Financial Operations with 2,885 employees, Computer, Engineering, and Science with 2,166 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 1,931 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Male Professor
Female Professor
Male Lecturer

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Harvard University was Male Professor with 703 employees, Female Professor with 310 employees, and Male Lecturer with 153 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Harvard University.

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