Harvard University vs Princeton University: Acceptance Rate, SAT & Net Price

Harvard University and Princeton University are about equally selective, admitting 4.2% and 4.4% of applicants respectively. For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $6,011 per year at Harvard University versus $6,866 at Princeton University. Admitted students post SAT middle-50% ranges of 1510–1580 at Harvard University and 1470–1560 at Princeton University.

Harvard University vs Princeton University: admissions and cost statistics from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard
MetricHarvard UniversityPrinceton University
Overall acceptance rate4.2%4.4%
Early acceptance rate8.7%10.5%
SAT middle 50%1510–15801470–1560
Avg unweighted GPA3.953.95
Yield rate83.6%75.0%
Class size1,6751,408
Net price, $48,001–$75,000 income$6,011$6,866
Net price, over $110,000 income$42,072$31,526

Admissions and cost data as of July 3, 2026 (CDS 2025–26 cycle), from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard. Rows appear only where both colleges report the statistic.

Frequently asked questions

Is Harvard University harder to get into than Princeton University?

The two are about equally selective: Harvard University admits 4.2% of applicants and Princeton University admits 4.4%, based on the most recent Common Data Set.

Which is cheaper for a middle-income family, Harvard University or Princeton University?

For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $6,011 per year at Harvard University and $6,866 at Princeton University, 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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