Harvard University vs Washington University in St Louis

Cambridge, MA · St. Louis, MO · largest Scorecard gap: acceptance rate

Scorecard match plate

Pair MA:MO

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

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

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.

  • Washington University in St Louis: average net price fell -33.9% from $33,484 (2013) to $22,117 (2023), r² 0.86.
  • 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).
  • Washington University in St Louis: acceptance rate tightened -23.1% 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. Teal = better side.

Largest gaps: Harvard University vs Washington University in St Louis

  1. ACCEPTANCE-RATE Harvard University leads on acceptance rate (3.6% vs 12.1% at Washington University in St Louis)
  2. MEDIAN-EARNINGS-(6 Harvard University leads on median earnings (6 yr) ($99,572 vs $78,073 at Washington University in St Louis)
  3. MEDIAN-DEBT-AT-GRA Harvard University leads on median debt at graduation ($14,000 vs $17,500 at Washington University in St Louis)

Harvard University profile · Washington University in St Louis profile · Compare other colleges

Also on the Scorecard board

Acceptance Rate and other Scorecard questions

On acceptance rate, who leads between Harvard University and Washington University in St Louis?▼
Harvard University leads on acceptance rate at 3.6% versus 12.1% at Washington University in St Louis. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median earnings (6 yr), who leads between Harvard University and Washington University in St Louis?▼
Harvard University leads on median earnings (6 yr) at $99,572 versus $78,073 at Washington University in St Louis. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median debt at graduation, who leads between Harvard University and Washington University in St Louis?▼
Harvard University leads on median debt at graduation at $14,000 versus $17,500 at Washington University in St Louis. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

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