University of Toronto vs Harvard University Comparison

University of Toronto vs Harvard University

The University of Toronto, St. George campus, located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, is the flagship campus enrolling over 60,000 students. The school has a selective acceptance rate of about 40–45%, making admission highly competitive, but possible for very qualified applicants. The University of Toronto is well-known for its programs in Arts & Science, Engineering, Law, Management, and Medicine. The school has an average graduation rate of around 80–85%, while graduates of the University of Toronto enjoy early career salaries of approximately INR 42–50 lakhs annually (CAD $68,000–80,000).

Harvard University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, is a private Ivy League research university enrolling over 23,000 students across undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. The school has a highly selective acceptance rate of about 5–6%, making admission extremely competitive for all applicants. Harvard is best known for its programs in Business, Law, Medicine, Public Policy, Arts & Sciences, and Engineering. The school has an average graduation rate of approximately 95%, while graduates of Harvard enjoy early career salaries of approximately INR 75–90 lakhs annually (USD $90,000–110,000).

Overview Comparison
University of TorontoHarvard University
Collegedunia Score7.4 Out of 1010 Out of 10
ranking (overall)# 21 Times Higher Education 2026
# 29 QS World University 2026
# 21 Times Higher Education 2025
# 5 Times Higher Education 2026
# 5 QS World University 2026
# 1 Center for World University Rankings 2025
Subject Strength# 17 for Engineering by QS World University 2025
# 10 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025
# 14 for Medicine by QS World University 2025
# 1 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2025
# 6 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025
# 1 for Medicine by QS World University 2025
ProgramsUG Programs -80
PG Programs -93
Doctorate Programs -7
UG Programs -40
PG Programs -53
Doctorate Programs -9
Acceptance Rate43.0 %3.0 %
Exam ScoreDuolingo-100
GMAT-550
IELTS-6
PTE-60
TOEFL-89
GMAT-620
GRE-300
IELTS-7
SAT-1470
TOEFL-80
Cost to StudyAverage Tuition Fees   45616
[For UG Program]
Average Tuition Fees  30120
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 60626 Per Year
Average Tuition Fees   68266
[For UG Program]
Average Tuition Fees  71030
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 32724 Per Year
placement (average package)

Placement rate was around 85% within 3 months of graduation Top recruiters were McKenzie Investments, KPMG, EY, Deloitte, Pepsico, Scotiank, National Bank Financial and others.

University of Toronto Graduates & Alumni Salaries - By  Degree:

  • Executive Masters-$208,000
  • PhD-$85,000
  • MBA-$83,000
  • Doctorate-$74,000
  • Masters in Science-$73,000
  • Masters in Finance-$72,000


Harvard University is one of the top private universities in Cambridge, United States. It is ranked #5 in QS World University Rankings 2023 and ranked #1 in US UNI.

  • Other Degree: $200,000 
  • Doctorate: $190,000 
  • Executive Masters: $172,000 
  • MBA: $168,000 
  • Executive MBA: $160,000 
  • LLM: $152,000 

Campuses and B-SchoolsUniversity of Toronto (Mississauga)
University of Toronto (Scarborough)
Rotman School of Management
Harvard Law School
Harvard Extension School
Harvard Kennedy School
Harvard Business School
CollegeDunia Reviews7.4/10 Read 81 reviews7.1/10 Read 5 reviews

Top Courses Comparison

Top Courses Comparison

ranking# 24 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025
# 33 for Business by QS World University 2025
# 1 for Business by QS World University 2025
# 6 for Business by US News 2025
# 7 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025
application#1656 Applicants
# 275 Admissions
# 16 % Acceptance Rate
#9856 Applicants
# 930 Admissions
# 9 % Acceptance Rate
exam scoresIELTS - 7/9TOEFL - 100/120Duolingo - 145/160GMAT - 740/800GRE - 326/340IELTS - 7.5/9PTE - 75/90TOEFL - 109/120
cost to studyTotal Cost (Tuition + Living) -102905Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -
documents required#Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose#Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose
application datesSep 10, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake)
Nov 19, 2025 (Round 2 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake)
Mar 4, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake)
Sep 3, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline for Fall 2026 Intake)
Dec 10, 2025 (Round 1 Application Decision for Fall 2026 Intake)
Jan 5, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline for Fall 2026 Intake)
Mar 25, 2026 (Round 2 Application Decision for Fall 2026 Intake)
General Facts Comparison
General FactsUniversity of TorontoHarvard University
Type of UniversityUniversity
University
Established1827
1636
Student:Faculty Ratio15:1
7:1
Male:Female45% Male, 55% Female52% Male, 48% Female
Location Facts

Located admist of mixed green space and historical architecture
Connected via 4 subway stations


Harvard Yard: Campus’s historic hub, Harvard Square: Campus’s personal hagout destination with restaurants, cafe, bookstores, theater, shops. Well connected to the local neighborhood of Boston by public transport, the campus traverses the Charles River to near by Allston.


Library

Largest Library in Canada but ranked third in North America following Havard and Yale. Total 40 libraries are located across three campuses. More than 12 millions printed books, 1.4 million digital books, 150467 journal titles and a staff of 169.


Largest academic library in the world. 20.4 million volumes, 400 million manuscript items, 180,000 serial titles. The library offers various grants and fellowships for both students and faculty. 


Campus Life

The campus has Kinesiology & Physical Education Undergraduate Association, Annesley Student Government Association (ASGA), Radio FWD, The Underground, UTM Society- CFRE Radio 91.9 FM, The Medium, Mike- newspaper, CIUT FM 89.5, and UTM AFFILIATE - Women's Centre.


Students from over 50 states and 80 countries are offered assistance by over 400 official student organization. The campus has its own museum, radio station, magazine and newspaper. Along with student clubs for Aikikai, archery, dance, theatre/drama, music, etc, campus also offers cultural & racial initiatives, asian student centric-projects, etc. Varsity sports, crimson pride and various atheletic teams.  


Hostel#Graduate House Standard Double Room With Meal plan - $13491
#Chestnut Residence Double Room With Meal plan - $21933
#Chestnut Residence Single Room With Meal plan - $25202
#Medium Single - $10719
#Large Single - $13644
#Standard Single - $8361
Famous Alumni

10 Nobel laureates, Ariana Grande (singer), Lin Chi-ling (model), Patrick Brown (Canadian Politician), Agnes Chan (Singer), Rudy Giuliani (Former Mayor of New York City), Margaret Atwood (writer) and Leslie Dan.


Eight US Presidents, 62 living billionaires, 242 Marshall Scholars, 359 Rhodes scholars. Barak Obama (ex-president of USA), Michelle Obama (Former First Lady of USA), Mark Zuckerberg, Natalie Portman (Actress), Bill Gates, Conan O’ Brien (comedian writer), Al Gore (Winner-Peace Prize), Matt Damon (Actor), Helen Keller, Subramaniam Swami (Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha)


Weather
Comparison Notes

University of Toronto (St. George) vs Harvard University

Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)

The University of Toronto St. George campus is included among the top 25 universities in the world, with strong programs in Arts & Science, Engineering, Law, Management, and Medicine, and high-impact research output. Harvard University consistently ranks among the top 3 universities globally, with renowned programs in Business, Law, Medicine, Public Policy, Arts & Sciences, and Engineering, and is widely recognized for its global research leadership and alumni influence.

General Information

U of T St. George is a large urban campus situated in downtown Toronto, serving more than 60,000 students across undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs, with extensive libraries, hospitals, research centers, and student support services. Harvard University is a private Ivy League campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, serving over 23,000 students with undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs, offering world-class facilities, research centers, and a historic campus environment.

Acceptance Rate & Admissions

U of T St. George has a selective admission process with an acceptance rate of about 40–45%, attracting highly qualified applicants from Canada and internationally. Harvard University has an extremely selective admission process with an acceptance rate of around 5–6%, drawing the most competitive applicants globally, with rigorous academic, extracurricular, and personal criteria.

Research Impact & Facilities

U of T St. George offers world-class laboratories, libraries, hospitals, and research centers, supporting high-impact research, innovation, and international collaborations across multiple disciplines. Harvard University operates globally recognized research centers, laboratories, hospitals, and libraries, supporting groundbreaking research, entrepreneurship, and global policy initiatives, with extensive funding and collaborations worldwide.

Cost & Financial Aid

International tuition at U of T St. George averages CAD $58,000–62,000 per year, with living expenses of CAD $18,000–20,000. Harvard University’s tuition averages USD $55,000–60,000 per year, with estimated living costs of USD $20,000–25,000. Both universities offer merit-based and need-based scholarships, fellowships, and financial aid for domestic and international students.

Career Destinations & Graduates’ Success

U of T St. George graduates often pursue careers in Medicine, Law, Management, Engineering, and Technology, leveraging the campus’s global reputation and alumni network. Harvard graduates pursue high-earning careers in Business, Law, Medicine, Public Policy, Engineering, and Finance, benefiting from the university’s unmatched global prestige, elite alumni network, and access to international opportunities.