Harvard University is the more selective of the two, admitting 3.6% of applicants versus 4.6% at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $6,011 per year at Harvard University versus $9,013 at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Harvard University's yield rate is 84.0%, versus 87.0% at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
| Metric | Harvard University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
|---|---|---|
| Overall acceptance rate | 3.6% | 4.6% |
| Early acceptance rate | 8.7% | 6.0% |
| SAT middle 50% | 1510–1580 | 1520–1570 |
| Avg unweighted GPA | 3.95 | 3.96 |
| Yield rate | 84.0% | 87.0% |
| Class size | 1,650 | 1,100 |
| Net price, $48,001–$75,000 income | $6,011 | $9,013 |
| Net price, over $110,000 income | $42,072 | $41,291 |
Admissions and cost data as of July 3, 2026 (CDS 2024–25 cycle), from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard. Rows appear only where both colleges report the statistic.
Yes. Harvard University admits 3.6% of applicants, compared with 4.6% at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, making it the harder school to get into, based on the most recent Common Data Set.
For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $6,011 per year at Harvard University and $9,013 at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, so Harvard University is the lower-cost option at that income level (source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard/IPEDS data).
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