Is Harvard or Princeton harder to get into?

Harvard is harder to get into than Princeton. Harvard's 3.6% acceptance rate is lower than Princeton's 4.5%.

Which is cheaper, Harvard or Princeton?

Princeton costs less on average. After grants and scholarships, Princeton's average net price is $6,128 vs $19,066 at Harvard.

Which has higher post-graduation earnings, Harvard or Princeton?

Princeton graduates earn more on average. Median earnings 10 years after entry are $101,817 at Harvard and $110,066 at Princeton.

Harvard vs. Princeton: Acceptance Rate, SAT, Cost & Outcomes Compared

Metric	Harvard	Princeton
Acceptance rate	3.6%	4.5%
SAT mid-50%	1500–1580	1500–1580
ACT mid-50%	34–36	34–35
Cost of attendance	$82,950	$83,140
Avg net price (after aid)	$19,066	$6,128
Undergrad enrollment	7,240	5,590
6-yr graduation rate	97.6%	97.6%
Median earnings (10yr)	$101,817	$110,066
Setting	Cambridge, Massachusetts	Princeton, New Jersey

The Real Differences

Selectivity is essentially the same. Harvard's 3.6% acceptance rate and Princeton's 4.5% are within a percentage point of each other. For an unhooked applicant, the difference is statistical noise. Apply to whichever you genuinely prefer.

Princeton is significantly cheaper after aid. The average net price gap is $12,938 per year, $51,752 over four years. For most families that difference is the deciding factor when both schools admit you.

Princeton graduates earn $8,249 more on average at the 10-year mark. This usually reflects major distribution more than school quality — schools that concentrate in CS, engineering, and finance pull higher medians than schools with more humanities and social science graduates. Harvard grads' earnings within the same major category are typically comparable.

Geographic difference matters more than the campus tour suggests. Harvard is in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Princeton is in Princeton, New Jersey. Climate, cost-of-living, and proximity to job markets in your target field shape the four-year experience and post-grad pipeline more than most prospective students realize.

Student Body Composition

The two schools have different student body compositions. Harvard is 53.8% women, 14.6% international, and 22.4% Asian-American. Princeton is 50.4% women, 12.6% international, and 23.4% Asian-American.

Demographic	Harvard	Princeton
Women	53.8%	50.4%
International	14.6%	12.6%
White	30.9%	33.7%
Asian	22.4%	23.4%
Hispanic	11.9%	10.1%
Black	8.9%	8.7%

Personalized estimate

What are your odds at Harvard vs. Princeton?

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The Verdict

Pick Harvard if

the residential Houses system

Pick Princeton if

Your odds are realistic at Princeton (slightly easier admit)
Net price matters: Princeton costs $12,938 less per year on average
Higher median post-grad earnings ($110,066 vs $101,817)
Higher 6-year graduation rate
its senior thesis requirement

Headline numbers favor one school or the other on each axis, but neither is unambiguously “better.” The right answer depends on your major fit, geographic preference, financial need, and personal odds at each. Most applicants who get into one of these schools also get into the other.

Full School Pages

For complete admissions data, supplemental essay strategy, and class profile breakdowns:

Full profile

Harvard University

3.6% accept · Cambridge, Massachusetts

Full profile

Princeton University

4.5% accept · Princeton, New Jersey

Sources

U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard for acceptance rates, test ranges, financial aid, demographics, completion, and earnings.
IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) for the underlying federal data.
Each school's most recent published Common Data Set for cycle-specific admissions stats.

Last verified May 2026. Stats reflect each school's most recent publicly published admit cycle.

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