Is Stanford or Yale harder to get into?

Stanford is harder to get into than Yale. Stanford's 3.7% acceptance rate is lower than Yale's 3.7%.

Which is cheaper, Stanford or Yale?

Stanford costs less on average. After grants and scholarships, Stanford's average net price is $13,807 vs $23,777 at Yale.

Which has higher post-graduation earnings, Stanford or Yale?

Stanford graduates earn more on average. Median earnings 10 years after entry are $124,080 at Stanford and $100,533 at Yale.

Stanford vs. Yale: Acceptance Rate, SAT, Cost & Outcomes Compared

Metric	Stanford	Yale
Acceptance rate	3.7%	3.7%
SAT mid-50%	1500–1580	1500–1580
ACT mid-50%	34–35	33–35
Cost of attendance	$87,833	$90,975
Avg net price (after aid)	$13,807	$23,777
Undergrad enrollment	7,841	6,645
6-yr graduation rate	91.9%	95.7%
Median earnings (10yr)	$124,080	$100,533
Setting	Stanford, California	New Haven, Connecticut

The Real Differences

Selectivity is essentially the same. Stanford's 3.7% acceptance rate and Yale's 3.7% are within a percentage point of each other. For an unhooked applicant, the difference is statistical noise. Apply to whichever you genuinely prefer.

Stanford is significantly cheaper after aid. The average net price gap is $9,970 per year, $39,880 over four years. For most families that difference is the deciding factor when both schools admit you.

Stanford graduates earn $23,547 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. Yale grads' earnings within the same major category are typically comparable.

Geographic difference matters more than the campus tour suggests. Stanford is in Stanford, California; Yale is in New Haven, Connecticut. 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. Stanford is 51.6% women, 12.8% international, and 28.7% Asian-American. Yale is 51.5% women, 11.2% international, and 21.9% Asian-American.

Demographic	Stanford	Yale
Women	51.6%	51.5%
International	12.8%	11.2%
White	23.0%	31.2%
Asian	28.7%	21.9%
Hispanic	17.1%	16.6%
Black	7.4%	9.3%

Personalized estimate

What are your odds at Stanford vs. Yale?

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The Verdict

Pick Stanford if

Net price matters: Stanford costs $9,970 less per year on average
Higher median post-grad earnings ($124,080 vs $100,533)
interdisciplinary research

Pick Yale if

Your odds are realistic at Yale (slightly easier admit)
Higher 6-year graduation rate
the 14 residential colleges

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

Stanford University

3.7% accept · Stanford, California

Full profile

Yale University

3.7% accept · New Haven, Connecticut

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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