Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts · Private Nonprofit · 3.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 96/100 · Exceptional Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Harvard scores 96 (Exceptional Value) on the CampusROI scale, with a 3.2-year payback period. Average 6-year earnings reach $91,300, with a 97.6% completion rate. Median debt of $14,000 against net price of $19,066 reflects an aid model that genuinely functions at the low and middle income levels. Computer Science (183 graduates) hits $152,251 at year one and $203,169 at year four. Economics (258 graduates) earns $103,993 at year one and $155,592 at year four - notable because these are aggregate figures across all economics graduates, including those who enter lower-earning public-sector tracks. Statistics (52 graduates) earns $141,116 year-one and $230,876 year-four, the highest four-year figure among Harvard's reported programs. The Harvard credential does economic work that pure earnings data understates: the name operates as a signal in every industry globally, and network density among alumni in finance, tech, government, and law is unmatched. The 3.2-year payback and $91,300 average earnings make the financial case without needing that argument - but the brand effect is real and operates on a longer horizon than six or ten years.
Graduates recoup their total investment in just 3.2 years. The median across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Harvard University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $61,676/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $61,676/yr |
| Average net price | $19,066/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $76,264 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $101,817 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $91,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $14,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $148 |
| Estimated payback period | 3.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 97.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 7,601 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $61,676/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $19,066/year, or roughly $76,264 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $8,697/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $53,337/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $14,000, which works out to about $148 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($91,300) and comes to 0.15, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $8,697 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $2,991 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $2,091 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $9,941 |
| $110,001+ | $53,337 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $8,697 net price per year at Harvard. The 30001-48000 bracket drops to $2,991 - and the 48001-75000 bracket further to $2,091. This is Harvard's financial aid model in operation: middle-lower income families pay almost nothing. The step structure reflects Harvard's policy of covering full demonstrated need with no loans. Low-income students who gain admission face essentially no financial barrier - the $2,091-8,697 range represents a genuine near-zero cost pathway.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $2,091. The 75001-110000 bracket rises to $9,941. Middle-income families in these brackets are paying well under $10,000 per year at sticker prices of $61,676 - Harvard's aid infrastructure is doing substantial work. Families at the top of the $75,000-$110,000 range pay $9,941 per year.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $53,337 per year at Harvard - roughly $213,000 all-in over four years. That is real money. Against a 3.2-year payback period and $91,300 average 6-year earnings, the financial case holds for graduates entering high-earning tracks. For students going into public service, academic research, or lower-earning careers, the investment at full pay requires longer evaluation. Harvard's financial aid cuts off sharply above $110,000, creating a significant cost step for upper-middle-class families who do not qualify for substantial aid.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Harvard University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | $155,592 | A |
| Social Sciences, General | $78,996 | B |
| Computer Science | $203,169 | - |
| International Relations | $95,838 | - |
| History | $70,679 | A |
| Applied Mathematics | $170,689 | - |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $70,167 | - |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $46,993 | - |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | $117,816 | - |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $31,999 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Computer Science
Harvard CS (183 graduates) earns $152,251 at year one and $203,169 at year four. The four-year figure of $203k reflects stock compensation and promotion velocity at major tech firms, where Harvard CS graduates are actively recruited.
Economics
Economics is Harvard's largest program at 258 graduates, and the numbers are strong: $103,993 at year one and $155,592 at year four. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.064 (ROI grade A) is exceptional - graduates borrow a median $6,617 against $104,000 year-one earnings. Harvard economics graduates cluster into investment banking (bulge bracket and boutique firms), management consulting (McKinsey, Bain, BCG), economic research, and graduate programs. The $155k four-year figure is the composite of a cohort with finance and consulting trajectories pulling up the median.
Statistics
Statistics (52 graduates) earns $141,116 at year one and $230,876 at year four. Debt and debt-to-earnings data are not available for this program. The trajectory reflects placement into quantitative finance (hedge funds, proprietary trading), data science at major technology companies, and actuarial and analytics roles. The four-year figure of $230k is driven by equity compensation and firm-level upside in finance and tech, where statistical training from Harvard carries a meaningful hiring signal.
Applied Mathematics
Applied Mathematics (120 graduates) earns $114,279 at year one and $170,689 at year four. Debt and ratio data are not available from the Scorecard. Applied math at Harvard is an interdisciplinary path that blends mathematics, computation, and domain applications in economics, engineering sciences, or life sciences. Graduates flow into quantitative finance, technology, data science, and graduate programs in economics, statistics, and computer science. The four-year earnings of $170k reflect the same finance-and-tech pipeline as the statistics major, with more pathway diversity.
History
History (161 graduates) earns $53,468 at year one and $70,679 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.238 (ROI grade A). An A-grade ROI for history is unusual. Median debt of $12,721 is low. The four-year figure of $70k is lower than STEM tracks.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 77.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 82.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 68.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 75.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Harvard University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 3.6% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 770-800 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 740-780 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 34-36 |
| Enrollment | 7,601 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 16.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $25,048 |
Harvard's admission rate is 3.65%. SAT Math 770-800 and Reading 740-780 describe the middle fifty percent - the top of those ranges is 800 and 780, respectively, meaning a meaningful share of admits are at the ceiling. ACT 34-36. Harvard does not release detailed admissions criteria but consistently admits students with 4.0+ unweighted GPAs, top-decile test scores, and distinguishing accomplishments. Financial need is explicitly not a factor in admissions decisions, but the process is otherwise highly holistic and competitive beyond test scores and grades.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Completion rate is 97.6%.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard University (this school) | 96 | $19,066 | $101,817 |
| Stanford University | 99 | $13,807 | $124,080 |
| University of Chicago | 98 | $14,860 | $91,885 |
| Brown University | 96 | $25,184 | $93,487 |
| Amherst College | 90 | $23,367 | $77,644 |
| American International College | 38 | $23,274 | $53,124 |
Who Thrives Here
Harvard admits 3.65% of applicants. SAT mid-ranges are 770-800 Math and 740-780 Reading; ACT composite 34-36. Pell grant rate is 16.4%, though Harvard's financial aid covers up to $75,000 in family income with no expected contribution. The student body skews heavily toward students with national-level achievements in academics, arts, athletics, or leadership. Students without exceptional track records should approach realistically; the admitted pool is extraordinary on conventional metrics.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
If you're asking whether Harvard University is worth it, the short answer is yes - it's one of the strongest money decisions in higher education. Four years here run about $76,264 after aid, and the typical graduate earns $101,817 ten years out. That earnings head start covers the cost in roughly 3.2 years, well ahead of most schools.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 97.6% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
On debt, you can breathe a little easier here. Median debt of $14,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $91,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.15: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
Harvard University: Common Questions
Is Harvard University worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Harvard University pays off. It scores 96/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $19,066 a year after aid ($76,264 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $101,817 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 3.2 years to earn back.
How much does Harvard University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $19,066 a year, or roughly $76,264 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Harvard University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $101,817 ten years after enrolling, roughly $60,017 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Harvard University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 3.2 years for Harvard University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Harvard University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $14,000, against average earnings of $91,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.15. In our view that is very manageable: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
What is the graduation rate at Harvard University?
The six-year graduation rate is 97.6%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.