How Much is Harvard Tuition? All to Know
Well, there is no doubt that apart from being competitive, Harvard can be really expensive for people coming from middle-class backgrounds. Private college fees have skyrocketed over the previous two decades, which has added to student debts and increased the number of loans taken by federal governments.
According to CNBC, it costs over $70,000 a year to enter Harvard, but it is not the actual amount students pay there. So, if you are passionate about studying at Harvard, it is natural to think about how much Harvard tuition is. No worries, as I am here with a complete guide on the average tuition fee to join Harvard, along with potential financial assistance alternatives.
Harvard Cost Estimates: Tuition Fee, Credit Per Hour, and Housing
There are a number of things to consider while planning to enter a new college, including the tuition fee, housing allowance, credit course charges, board and room fees, and other miscellaneous fees. Hence, it is only wise to know what you are getting yourself into beforehand. This is why I am here with a deeper insight into what you have to pay based on the degree you are enrolled in and the school you want to join, so dive right in to know more.
Undergraduate Tuition Fee
The four-year undergraduate fee costs around $334,152, including the books, tuition, transport, and other miscellaneous charges, as per 2022-23. If we compare it with the private school tuition fee, it makes around $213,720 for the total four years at the university. Let us break down these charges on the basis of tuition, fees, and housing expenses for both Harvard and non-profit private colleges.
Harvard University | Private Non-Profit Colleges | |
Tuition | $54, 269 | $38,768 |
Fee | $4,807 | $3,305 |
Housing | $12,424 | $13,028 |
Now that we have the recent stats let us compare them with the fees during the earlier years. Back in 2018-2019, the reported tuition at Harvard was around $47,730, whereas this value for non-profit private schools was around $35,830 for the four-year program. However, according to CNBC, the students paid a lot more than this.
As per the stats, some students were also provided with student loans, grants, and part-time jobs, which made it around $14,000 and $16,000 for the non-profit private colleges and Harvard, respectively. Hence, some students paid significantly less than it was required.
Now, coming to 2019-2020, as per Harvard’s school website, the tuition for the four-year program during this year was around $69,067, including the $4,195 fee charges and the $17,682 room and board charges. Do consider that this amount is exclusive for other elements like housing, transport, books, and more.
The personal expenses can cost an undergraduate student around $4,000, which makes the total Harvard cost around $71,650 to $78,000, inclusive of billed and unbilled costs. If we compare it with the previous year, it was around $71,650-$76,650, making a difference of approximately $2,000.
Harvard University | Non-profit Private Colleges | |
2018-2019 | $47,730 | $35,830 |
2019-2020 | $78,000 | $76,650 |
Graduate Tuition Fee
Despite the fewer years you spend during the M.Phil program at Harvard, the tuition fee is close to that of the four-year program. As per the Harvard website, the two-year graduation program costs around $53,760 for local American students. In comparison, the amount required to attend a non-profit, private institution is approximately $50,100, which is not much differentiated from Harvard.
Resident Master’s Program Tuition (students attending part-time) | Non-Resident Master’s Program Tuition | |||
MPH 45 (1 year) | $66,960 per year | MPH-EPI (2 years) | 2022 start | $36,648 per year |
MPH 65 (1 year) | $58,816 per year | 2021 start | $35,580 per year | |
SM 42.5 (1 years) | $63,240 per year | MHCM (2 years) | 2022 start | $44,750 per year |
SM 60 (1.5 years) SM 80 (2 years) | $50,496 per year $52,496 per year | 2021 start | $43,500 per year |
Cost Per Credit Hour
Though most students at Harvard pay full tuition, some of them chose elective courses, which only require them to pay per credit hour. Now, if we talk about this tuition, the hourly average tuition for this category is around $1,641; however, it may vary on the basis of department and school.
In order to calculate it, you just have to multiply the credit hours paid by the number of credits you are taking for each semester. For instance, if you are planning to take six credits per semester, your tuition would be (6x$1641), making it $9,846. And if you choose twelve credits per semester, the estimated tuition fee becomes $19,692 for six months.
Cost Per Credit Hour (average) | Tuition Fee for Six Credits | Tuition Fee for Twelve Credits |
$1641 per credit | $9,846 | $19,692 |
Campus Expenses
Apart from tuition and attendance fees, students are also required to pay miscellaneous charges for books, rent, housing, transport, and more. This is known as room and board charges and may vary from where students are based in the school. They can also get an estimated amount easily using the Harvard expense calculator available on the official website.
Just to give an idea, the Harvard campus has 17 freshman dorms for juniors and 12 houses for senior-level students, and the university itself usually makes the choice of room. Freshman students are located in suites (typically having common rooms and two to four bedrooms), whereas senior-level students tend to live in the renowned Harvard historic houses (typically accommodating 350-500 students). Apart from this, students are free to opt for off-campus housing facilities.
That being said, only a small section of the student body chooses to live in off-campus housing, but those who opt to have a number of rented apartments and homes in the vicinity. Harvard also partners with multiple private and public landlords and real estate agents so students can have an affordable housing facility, even if they prefer living off campus. An average apartment close to Harvard has an average rent of around $2000, which is according to the full-year school and not what consists of a school year.
Type of Expense | On-Campus Charges (average) | Off-Campus Charges (average) |
Books and Supplies | $900 | $900 |
Room and Board Expenses | $19,502 | $2,000 per month |
Other Miscellaneous Charges | $5,875 | $5,875 |
Please note that the rented housing within the Harvard facility also applies the same rule. Hence, they have to get a lease of any place for the full year and not a school year.
Acceptance Rate for Harvard
Now, you must be wondering how difficult it is to get accepted at Harvard. Well, as we all know, it is really competitive, and the acceptance rate is close to 4%, which is extremely low. Here is a breakdown of how many applications were accepted during Fall 2023 Harvard admissions.
Applications Received (Total Number) | 43,330 |
Applications Accepted (Number) | 1950 |
Percentage of Applications Accepted | 4.5% |
To apply for admission at Harvard, you are required to fulfill the eligibility criteria. This includes special considerations like GPA, school rank, test scores, recommendations, secondary school records, and much more. Here is a list of all the documents required to apply for Harvard’s four-year undergraduate program.
- Secondary school records
- Secondary school GPA
- Recommendation letters
- Admission test score
- Secondary school rank
Types of Financial Aid
Harvard has a pretty sophisticated and well-organized financial and monetary aid system to facilitate students coming from humble backgrounds. University, federal government, and private partners collaborate together to make sure education at Harvard is accessible to all, irrespective of financial restraints. Here, four different types of monetary assistance are used to provide for students.
- Scholarships: Universities distribute tuition fees and stipend waivers among students with excellent academic backgrounds, extracurricular activities, community involvement, work experience, and especially those in need. The criteria of evaluation is subjective and is decided by the scholarship committee at Harvard.
- Social Grants: The grants are given to students in need of financial assistance without counting academic excellence. Typically, grants come from universities, the federal government, and non-profit private organizations.
- Federal Loans: The US Department of Education offers a number of loans to students who want to fulfill their educational expenses. These loans usually have lower interest rates than those taken from private businesses.
- Part-Time Jobs: The federal government offers a range of part-time employment opportunities to students who are deserving and qualify for the job screening. This helps them cover educational expenses.
Now, let us discuss each category in detail, but before that, it is important to look at some statistics. As per Harvard’s billing inventory, about 70% of Harvard students with low-income backgrounds and parents earning less than $65,000 receive some sort of loan or study grant from the university. Hence, low-income families do not have to pay more than they would pay for a state college in their area.
Scholarships
Once you have checked your eligibility status on the Harvard grant calculator, it is time to apply. Based on your application, Harvard evaluates your needs and builds a customized plan that may include funds and employment opportunities. The scholarships cover almost 100% of your expenses, and they can also welcome some qualifying parents to contribute a little to these scholarships.
For the year 2019-2020, approximately 50% of Harvard students were given need-based scholarships, which cover the tuition (around $53,000). According to Harvard, the students enjoying scholarships pay, on average, not more than $12,000 for education expenses. This encompasses most American families with a yearly income between $65,000 and $150,000, and they have to pay only 10% of the original required tuition.
That said, 30% of the student body at Harvard may not get the perks of financial aid. These mostly include pupils coming from a decent economic background. According to the New York Times, 15% of these students come from the 1% elite Americans on the wealth distribution chart, whereas 20% come from high-earning USA households, with a median average income of approximately $168,800.
Study Grants
Study grants are applicable to permanent residents and US citizens who come from low-income backgrounds and are in need of financial assistance. These grants are monitored by FAFSA Free Application for Federal Students Aid and SEOG Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant or Federal Pell Grant. After our private partners complete the evaluation, it is further evaluated by the university committee.
The decision of this grant takes around ten days to process, and after this, you receive a Student Aid Report, either accepting or rejecting your grant application. As per the stats, each year, around 17% of Harvard students enjoy SEOG and Pell grants. In exceptional cases, Massachusetts residents can also apply for the State Gilbert Grant, which is a need-based grant and does not affect your team-time work expectations.
Scholarships and Grants from Outside Harvard
Apart from the above-mentioned scholarships and grants, you can also look for opportunities from outside sources, like secondary schools, non-profit organizations, civic organizations, VA Benefits, parental employer corporations, and National scholarship awards. But after applying, you must report them to Harvard, given the intent of the scholarship to be used for educational purposes.
Harvard can also incorporate outside scholarship funds into the financial aid packages. These grant amounts replace the term-time job expectations and offer a replacement of the money that may not be covered by Harvard grants. However, do consider that they cannot be used to replace your parents’ contribution to the income.
- Note: You must notify Harvard about any award you are applying for through the Outside Awards Reporting System under the financial aid tab on the Harvard University website.
Work-Study/ Part-Time Jobs
Given their financial background, Harvard students are allowed to avail themselves of economic opportunities to contribute to their educational expenses. According to this policy, students are allowed to work around ten to twelve hours per week, and all wages from the job would be paid directly to the students, so you can also use them for out-of-pocket expenses. You can always consult the Student Employment Office to fish for new working opportunities within the university institutions, libraries, cafes, or museums.
Federal Work-Study Program
When you apply for the financial aid program, the profile is directly shared with the Federal government for the FSWP scheme, also known as the Federal Work-Study Program. It subsidizes your wages, so it is easier to get attracted to potential employers. In case of eligibility, the federal government allows you to take on designated jobs, which can be based in the institution as well as off-campus.
- Note: The FWSP program is open for both term-time and summer break, so you can choose to avail of any opportunity based on your availability.
Student Loans from the Federal
Most Harvard students graduate from the university debt-free with the university’s financial packages, but if it is necessary, students can opt for federal loans with low interest rates. The process of application is straightforward, and you can easily access the form from the university’s website. Here are some different types of loans available for Harvard students.
Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans
Here is all you need to know about the subsidized Stafford loans from the Federal government.
- You must be a US citizen permanently residing in the country to be eligible for the loan amount.
- The FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid must be submitted to avail the loan amount.
- The maximum amount given to first-year students, sophomores, and senior students is $ 3,500, $4,500, and $5,500, respectively.
- You are required to pay the need-based loan amount with interest during the grace and deferment period.
- The interest rate for ten-year treasury bills/ subsidized loans would be 2.05%, whereas the capped interest amount would be 8.25%.
- These loans are built on fixed variables. For instance, borrowers would receive a new amount of loan with the rate changing in the market.
- The fixed interest rate for the year 2023-24 is around 5.50, and you have ten years to repay it.
- The net origination fee for the loan is 1.057%.
- Repayments start after six months of graduation and drop, followed by half-time enrollment.
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans
Following are some conditions of getting the federal direct unsubsidized Stafford loans.
- You must be a US citizen permanently residing in the country.
- To apply for the loan, you must submit the FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid within the deadline.
- The maximum loan amount given to first-year students, sophomores, and senior-level students is $5,500, $6,500, and $7,500, respectively.
- If you are eligible for the unsubsidized loans, you can also get an additional $2,000 without any subsidy.
- You can either pay the interest amount on a quarterly basis or capitalize it and add it to the principal amount, followed by repayments.
- The interest rates, tuition fees, and repayments are the same as subsidized Stafford loans.
Harvard Loans
Harvard need-based loans do not account for your nationality or citizenship and have the following conditions.
- Harvard pays these need-based loans during the enrollment and deferment periods.
- The interest rate is fixed in these loans, which is 4.0%. You also have ten years to repay the amount.
- You do not have to provide any origination or insurance fee.
- The repayment for these loans starts six months after you graduate and drops following the half-time enrollment.
- The monthly payment of these loans is around $10.61 per $1000 you borrow.
- You do not have to be necessarily eligible for federal loan programs.
Parent and Student Loans
Last but not least, you can also opt for parent and student loans to distribute the expenses among both entities. How these loans work is that you opt to get the entire cost of education or just a portion of it as a supplement to contribute to your family assets. These loans are prepared with no penalty.
- Note: the loan applications typically start in June and end in August. You are required to complete the application within the deadline.
What are the popular majors at Harvard?
The most popular majors at Harvard include Computer Science, Government, Economics, Applied Maths, Neuroscience, Social Science, Psychology, and Integrative Biology. That said, there are numerous fields of study you can explore at Harvard.
What is the SAT score accepted at Harvard?
Well, there is no specific SAT and ACT score required to get accepted at Harvard, but a higher score is always better. So, you should aim for a score closer to the 75th percentile. According to Harvard, the 75th percentile for SAT evidence-based reading/ writing, math, ACR composite, and math is around 780, 800, 36, and 36, respectively.
How much does it cost to complete a four-year degree at Harvard?
On average, the tuition fee for a Harvard four-year undergraduate is around $55,587. This is exclusive of school housing expenses, traveling, books, etc. After including these expenses, the total estimated cost can easily come close to $70,000-$75,000.
Can you apply for off-campus houses as a Harvard student?
Yes, Harvard allows you to apply for off-campus apartments and housing facilities. However, these areas must be close to Harvard, and the lease for rent is applicable for a full year and not the university year.
Finally, if you are interested in studying at Harvard and wondering how much the tuition fee is, you are not alone. Because of the ever-increasing tuition of private schools, it has become difficult for students to get access to education. I hope, after reading this guide, you are able to decide the right path to join Harvard and help yourself financially.