Harvard University

Doctoral Universities

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2016 Undergraduate Tuition

$43,280

3.96% growth from 2015

2016 Average Net Price

$16,205

After Financial Aid

2015 Student Loan

1.21%

Default Rate

2016 Acceptance Rate

5.4%

39,041 Applicants

2016 Enrolled Students

29,908

68.8% Full-Time

2016 Graduation Rate

97.2%

1,617 Graduates

About

Costs

Admissions

Enrollment

Graduates

Operations

About

Harvard University is a higher education institution located in Middlesex County, MA. In 2016, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Harvard University were General Economics (218 degrees awarded), General Social Sciences (164 degrees), and General Political Science & Government (136 degrees).

In 2016, 7,908 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Harvard University. 49.3% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 50.7% awarded men. The majority of degree recipients were white (3,356 degrees), 3.12 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1076 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Harvard University is $43,280, which is $17,424 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($25,856).

About the photo: Emerson Hall in a snowstorm

Photo by Colleen A. Bryant

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research ActivityDoctoral Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Harvard University is $43,280, which is $17,424 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($25,856).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $16,205.

In 2016, 44% of undergraduate students received federal grants, while 4% of undergraduate students received federal loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$43,280

2016 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2016, the cost of tuition at Harvard University was $43,280. The cost of tuition at Harvard University is $17,424 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($25,856).

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

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Average Net Price

$16,205

2016 Value

2.94%

1 Year Growth

In 2016 Harvard University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $16,205. Between 2015 and 2016, the average net price of Harvard University grew by 2.94%.

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.

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Other Student Expenses

$15,381

Room and Board

$1,000

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Harvard University was of $15,381 in 2016. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,000. The cost of room and board increased by 4.85% between 2015 and 2016. 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.

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Financial Aid

Financial Aid by Income Level

44%

Of Undergraduates Receive Grants

4%

Of Undergraduates Receive Federal Loans

44% of undergraduate students at Harvard University received grants or loans in 2016. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2015, when 44% 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.

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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.

1.21%

2015 Default Rate

26

Number of Defaults

In 2015 the default rate for borrower's at Harvard University was 1.21%, which represents 26 out of the 2146 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.

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Admissions

Harvard University received 39,041 undergraduate applications in 2016, which represents a 4.65% annual growth. Out of those 39,041 applicants, 2,110 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 5.4% acceptance rate.

There were 29,908 students enrolled at Harvard University in 2016, and 73% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Harvard University has an overall enrollment yield of 78.8%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

5.4%

Acceptance Rate in 2016

2,110

Accepted Out of 39,041

In 2016, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Harvard University was 5.4% (2,110 admissions from 39,041 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2015, which was 5.58%. Between 2015 and 2016, the number of applicants grew by 4.65%, while admissions grew by 1.44%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Harvard University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

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SAT Scores

73%

Submission Percentage

1,220

Scores Submitted

73% of enrolled first-time students at Harvard University in 2016 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

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Enrollment

Harvard University has a total enrollment of 29,908 students. The full-time enrollment at Harvard University is 20,591 students and the part-time enrollment is 9,317. This means that 68.8% of students enrolled at Harvard University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Harvard University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 42.4% White, 13.5% Asian, 8.04% Hispanic or Latino, 5.28% Black or African American, 3.77% Two or More Races, 0.224% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.1% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Harvard University in full-time Undergraduate programs are majority White Male (23.4%), followed by White Female (17.8%) and Asian Female (10.2%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are majority White Male (20.7%), followed by White Female (19.1%) and Asian Female (6.93%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

68.8%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Harvard University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 29,908 students. The full-time enrollment at Harvard University is 20,591 and the part-time enrollment is 9,317. This means that 68.8% of students enrolled at Harvard University are enrolled full-time compared with 78.1% at similar Doctoral Universities.

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

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Retention Rate over Time

97%

2016 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 97%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (83%), 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.

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Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    12,690

  2. Asian

    4,051

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    2,406

The enrolled student population at Harvard University is 42.4% White, 13.5% Asian, 8.04% Hispanic or Latino, 5.28% Black or African American, 3.77% Two or More Races, 0.224% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.1% 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 51.9% White, 12.8% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.36% 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, 1,088 students (3.64%) did not report their race.

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Graduates

In 2016, 114 fewer women than men received degrees from Harvard University. The majority of degree recipients at Harvard University are white (3,356 degrees awarded). There were 3.12 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1076 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Harvard University is General Economics (218 degrees awarded), followed by General Social Sciences (164 degrees) and General Political Science & Government (136 degrees).

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 Architecture and Related Services (284 degrees awarded), Legal (783 degrees), and Cultural & Gender Studies (147 degrees).

Workforce

Common Jobs by Major

Social 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 Social workers (178,994 people), Miscellaneous managers (103,234 people), Architects, except naval (99,109 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (82,984 people), and Postsecondary teachers (60,869 people).

The most specialized majors at Harvard University are Architecture and Related Services (284 degrees awarded), Legal (783 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (147 degrees), Math & Statistics (299 degrees), and Public Administration and Social Service (590 degrees).

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Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Public relations specialists

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 Public relations specialists, Physicians & surgeons, Chief executives & legislators, Sales representatives, wholesale & manufacturing, and Financial analysts

The most specialized majors at Harvard University are Architecture and Related Services (284 degrees awarded), Legal (783 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (147 degrees), Math & Statistics (299 degrees), and Public Administration and Social Service (590 degrees).

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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 (190,123 people), Architectural, engineering & related services (141,238 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (112,198 people), Individual & family services (100,431 people), and Hospitals (80,881 people).

The most specialized majors at Harvard University are Architecture and Related Services (284 degrees awarded), Legal (783 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (147 degrees), Math & Statistics (299 degrees), and Public Administration and Social Service (590 degrees).

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Degrees

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

  1. General Economics

    218 degrees awarded

  2. General Social Sciences

    164 degrees awarded

  3. General Political Science & Government

    136 degrees awarded

In 2016, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Harvard University was General Economics with 218 degrees awarded.

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

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Gender Breakdown for Common Majors

Degrees Awarded to Men

  1. 4,011

  2. 3,897

In 2016, 4,011 degrees were awarded to men at Harvard University, which is 1.03 times more than the number of degrees awarded to females (3,897).

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

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Most Common Male Majors

In 2016, 545 degrees were awarded to men at Harvard University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.37 times more than the 397 female recipients with that same degree.

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Most Common Female Majors

In 2016, 532 degrees were awarded to women at Harvard University in General Education, which is 2.62 times more than the 203 male recipients with that same degree.

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Time to Complete

86%

100% Completion Time

98%

150% Completion Time

In 2016, 86% of students graduating from Harvard University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 98% 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.

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Diversity

Graduation Rate by Race and Gender

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Harvard University is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (67.2%).

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, 4.45% of graduates (72 students) did not report their race.

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Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    3,356 degrees awarded

  2. Asian

    1,076 degrees awarded

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    513 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Harvard University is white (3,356 degrees awarded). There were 3.12 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1076 degrees).

3.14% of degree recipients (248 students) did not report their race.

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Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Gender Demographic

  1. White Male

    1,731 degrees awarded

  2. White Female

    1,625 degrees awarded

  3. Asian Female

    569 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and gender grouping at Harvard University is white male (1,731 degrees awarded). There were 1.07 times more white male recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (1,625 degrees).

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Operations

Harvard University has an endowment valued at nearly $37.6B, as of the end of the 2015 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $2.23B (5.94%), compared to the 1.54% average return ($4.18M on $271M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2015, Harvard University had a total expenditure of $4.46B. Of that $4.46B, they spent $1.71B on salaries and $4.46B on benefits.

Harvard University employs 1,013 Professors, 380 Lecturers, and 216 Assistant professors. Most academics at Harvard University are Male Professors (749), Female Professors(264), and Male Lecturers (203).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Harvard University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 2129 employees, Computer, Engineering, and Science, with 1950 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 1794 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$37.6B

2015 Endowment

3.26%

growth from 2014

Harvard University has an endowment valued at about $37.6B, as of the end of the 2015 fiscal year. The endowment of Harvard University grew 3.26% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $37.3B 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.

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Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

  1. $578M - Federal

  2. $3.59M - State

  3. $1.01M - Local

As of 2015, Harvard University received $578M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $3.59M from state grants and contracts, and $1.01M from local grants and contracts.

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Expenses

Primary Expenses

Expenditure values can vary depending on whether the institution is public or private, and are not available for private-for-profit schools.

$1.71B

Salary Expenditure

$4.46B

Benefits Expenditure

In 2015, Harvard University had a total expenditure of $4.46B. Of that $4.46B, they spent $1.71B on salaries and $4.46B on benefits.

The bar chart shows the share of the primary expenses at Harvard University over time, and the line chart shows the expenditure for solely salaries and benefits over time compared to the median for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification grouping.

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Expenditure by Category

This tree map shows all of the primary expenses of Research at Harvard University as a share of total expenditure.

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Salary Expenditure

$1.71B

2015 Salaries

4.29%

growth from 2014

In 2015, Harvard University paid a median of $1.71B in salaries, which represents 38.3% of their overall expenditure ($4.46B) and a 4.29% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 5.62% growth from 2013 and a 3.68% growth from 2012.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 206M (43.4% of overall expenditures).

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Instructional Salaries

$324M

Instructional Salaries

1,741

Number of Employees

In 2015, Harvard University paid a total of $324M to 1,741 employees working as instructors, which represents 19% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $62.1M (30.2%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

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Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

1013 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

2129 Employees

In 2016, the most common positions for instructional staff at Harvard University were Professor with 1,013 employees; Lecturer with 380 employees; and Lecturer with 216 employees.

In 2016, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Harvard University were Business and Financial Operations with 2,129 employees; Computer, Engineering, and Science with 1,950 employees; and Office and Administrative Support with 1,794 employees.

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Instructors by Academic Rank and Gender

Most Common Demographic

  1. Male Professor

  2. Female Professor

  3. Male Lecturer

In 2016, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Harvard University was Male Professor with 749 employees, Female Professor with 264 employees, and Male Lecturer with 203 employees.

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

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