University of California-Irvine vs Harvard University

Irvine, CA · Cambridge, MA · largest Scorecard gap: acceptance rate

Scorecard match plate

Pair CA:MA

MIXED-SECTOR · CROSS-STATE · ACCEPT-GAP · NET-SPLIT · EARN-SPLIT · DEBT-PAR · COMPLETE-HIGH · GAP-ACCEPT

  • MIXED-SECTOR Mixed sector
  • CROSS-STATE CA × MA
  • ACCEPT-GAP Admission gap
  • NET-SPLIT Net-price split
  • EARN-SPLIT Earnings split
  • DEBT-PAR Debt near-par
  • 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 ENROLL-1SIDE · brisk · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.

Decade path · College Scorecard

Headcount surged on one side only

ENROLL-1SIDE · brisk · 2013–2023

University of California-Irvine posted a brisk directional enrollment rise over 2013–2023 while its peer's size series stays a range, and both acceptance rates tightened. Do not read this as parallel growth under the same selectivity story.

  • University of California-Irvine: enrollment grew +25.4% over 2013–2023; fitted +590 students/yr fitted, r² 0.66.
  • Harvard University: enrollment ranged 6,099–7,973 (2013–2023, 11 points) without a stable fitted direction.
  • University of California-Irvine: acceptance rate tightened -39.7% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.82).
  • Harvard University: acceptance rate tightened -40.9% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.89).

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: University of California-Irvine vs Harvard University

  1. ACCEPTANCE-RATE Harvard University leads on acceptance rate (3.6% vs 28.6% at University of California-Irvine)
  2. IN-STATE-TUITION University of California-Irvine leads on in-state tuition ($15,722 vs $61,676 at Harvard University)
  3. MEDIAN-EARNINGS-(6 Harvard University leads on median earnings (6 yr) ($99,572 vs $56,210 at University of California-Irvine)

University of California-Irvine profile · Harvard University profile · Compare other colleges

Also on the Scorecard board

Acceptance Rate and other Scorecard questions

On acceptance rate, who leads between University of California-Irvine and Harvard University?
Harvard University leads on acceptance rate at 3.6% versus 28.6% at University of California-Irvine. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On in-state tuition, who leads between University of California-Irvine and Harvard University?
University of California-Irvine leads on in-state tuition at $15,722 versus $61,676 at Harvard University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median earnings (6 yr), who leads between University of California-Irvine and Harvard University?
Harvard University leads on median earnings (6 yr) at $99,572 versus $56,210 at University of California-Irvine. 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