Harvard University vs Stanford University

Cambridge, MA · Stanford, CA · largest Scorecard gap: avg net price

Scorecard match plate

Pair MA:CA

PRIVATE-NP-PAIR · CROSS-STATE · ACCEPT-TIGHT · NET-SPLIT · EARN-SPLIT · DEBT-SPLIT · COMPLETE-HIGH · GAP-NET

  • PRIVATE-NP-PAIR Private nonprofit pair
  • CROSS-STATE MA × CA
  • ACCEPT-TIGHT Tight admission
  • NET-SPLIT Net-price split
  • EARN-SPLIT Earnings split
  • DEBT-SPLIT Debt split
  • COMPLETE-HIGH High completion
  • GAP-NET Largest gap · Avg Net Price

Instrument codes from this pair's College Scorecard ownership, geography, acceptance, net price, earnings, debt, and completion, plus the NET-SPLIT · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.

Decade path · College Scorecard

One campus shows net-price relief; the peer does not

NET-SPLIT · 2013–2023

Over 2013–2023, only one school has a directional decline in average net price; the other stays a measured range. Cost gaps on this board are moving targets, not fixed snapshot deltas.

  • Stanford University: average net price fell -22.8% from $15,713 (2013) to $12,136 (2023), r² 0.57.
  • Harvard University: net price ranged $13,259–$19,500 across 11 years (2013–2023); endpoint change +19.7% is not a trend (r² 0.10).
  • Harvard University: acceptance rate tightened -40.9% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.89).
  • Stanford University: acceptance rate tightened -31.3% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.71).

College Scorecard institution series; dollars are nominal. Direction claims require r² ≥ 0.40 on the fitted annual slope, otherwise the page reports the observed range. Descriptive history, not a recommendation.

Scorecard metrics

Cards ordered by relative gap on this pair · 1 tied metrics omitted. Teal = better side.

Largest gaps: Harvard University vs Stanford University

  1. AVG-NET-PRICE Stanford University leads on avg net price ($13,807 vs $19,066 at Harvard University)
  2. MEDIAN-EARNINGS-(1 Stanford University leads on median earnings (10 yr) ($124,080 vs $101,817 at Harvard University)
  3. MEDIAN-DEBT-AT-GRA Stanford University leads on median debt at graduation ($12,000 vs $14,000 at Harvard University)

Harvard University profile · Stanford University profile · Compare other colleges

Also on the Scorecard board

Avg Net Price and other Scorecard questions

On avg net price, who leads between Harvard University and Stanford University?
Stanford University leads on avg net price at $13,807 versus $19,066 at Harvard University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median earnings (10 yr), who leads between Harvard University and Stanford University?
Stanford University leads on median earnings (10 yr) at $124,080 versus $101,817 at Harvard University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median debt at graduation, who leads between Harvard University and Stanford University?
Stanford University leads on median debt at graduation at $12,000 versus $14,000 at Harvard University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard College Scorecard institution outcomes (earnings, completion, debt); avg net price focus for this pair · 2025