Brown University is a private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. It is a medium-sized university with ~11,000 students, including approximately 3,000 graduate students and ~2,000 international students (~18%). Admissions are very competitive with an acceptance rate of ~5%. Most popular majors are Computer Science, Economics, Biology, Applied Mathematics, Political Science, Public Health, and International & Area Studies. QS World University Rankings 2026 ranks Brown at #69 worldwide and top 20 in the United States. Brown is most famous for its Open Curriculum, in which students can create their own course of study. Outcomes are excellent, with graduates thriving in consulting, tech, medicine, law, and public service.
Yale University is an American private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. It is a medium-sized university with ~14,600 students, of whom ~7,500 are graduate and professional students and ~2,800 international students (~19%). Admissions are highly competitive with an acceptance rate of ~4%. Economics, Political Science, History, Biology, Computer Science, Global Affairs, and English are the most popular majors. QS World University Rankings 2026 places Yale at #21 in the world and top 5 in the United States. Yale is particularly famous for its law school, drama school, medical school, and solid liberal arts programs. Graduates have traditionally proceeded to leadership in government, law, finance, academia, and the arts.
| Brown University | Yale University | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 6.7 Out of 10 | 8.1 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 65 Times Higher Education 2026 # 69 QS World University 2026 # 58 Times Higher Education 2025 | # 10 Times Higher Education 2026 # 21 QS World University 2026 # 9 Center for World University Rankings 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 90 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2025 # 51 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 116 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 | # 18 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2025 # 9 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 10 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -59 PG Programs -26 Doctorate Programs -7 | UG Programs -33 PG Programs -56 Doctorate Programs -12 |
| Acceptance Rate | 5.0 % | 4.6 % |
| Exam Score | IELTS-8 SAT-1500 TOEFL-100 | GMAT-690 GRE-315 IELTS-7 SAT-1460 TOEFL-100 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 59254 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 59254 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 9774 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 67250 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 44500 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 19900 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | Brown University is one of the top private universities in Providence, United States. It is ranked #63 in QS World University Rankings 2023. It ranks #55 in the graduate employability rank Brown University Graduates & Alumni Salaries - By Degree
| Top recruiters include Yale University, Microsoft Corp, Deloitte Consulting LLP, Harvard University, Kaiser Permanente, etc.
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| application requirements | School Report; Counsellor’s recommendation for UG admission; Letters of Recommendation; Writing Sample | Translated documents in English; Scores of standardized exams; 3-Recommendations; Writing Samples; Supplementary documents (such as audio recordings, art samples, portfolios, etc.) Mid-year reports are also required along applications. |
| Campuses and B-Schools | NA | Yale School of Management |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 6.9/10 Read 2 reviews | 7.6/10 Read 3 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 37 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 351 for Business by QS World University 2025 | # 10 for Business by US News 2025 # 11 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 16 for Business by QS World University 2025 |
| exam scores | GMAT - 700/800IELTS - 7/9TOEFL - 90/120 | GMAT - 690/800IELTS - 7/9TOEFL - 100/120 |
| cost to study | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) - | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -99250 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Dec 8, 2024 (Priority Review 1 Application Deadline for 2026 Intake) Nov 3, 2025 (Priority Review 1 Application Deadline for 2026 Intake) Feb 19, 2026 (Final Application Deadline for 2026 Intake) | Oct 31, 2024 (Round 1 Application Deadline For 2025 Intake) Jan 29, 2025 (Round 2 Application Deadline For 2025 Intake) Mar 20, 2025 (Round 3 Application Deadline For 2025 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | Brown University | Yale University |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1764 | 1701 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 6:1 |
| Male:Female | 46% Male, 54% Female | 49% Male, 51% Female |
| Location Facts | Campus is located in College Hill and Jewelry District; Main campus is situated on the east side of Campus Hill and has 235 buildings | A 1015 acre campus at the heart of downtown New Haven, Connecticut. Closest airports including Tweed New Haven Regional Airport and Bradley International Airport. Located not too far from New York, Boston, etc. A number of restaurants, clubs, etc. located near campus. Connecticut has an unemployment rate of 4.6 |
| Library | One of the USA’s oldest library; has 6 million items including bound volumes, periodicals, maps, sheet music, digital objects, manuscripts, and electronic resources; 6 libraries ie. John D. Rockefeller Jr Library for humanities and social science, Science Library, John Hay Library for special collections, Orwig Music Library, Art Slide Library and Library Collections Annex | 3rd largest academic library in USA with over 15 million volumes including print and electronic resources housed in 15 libraries that include Sterling Memorial, Beibecke, Bass Libraries, Max Science and Social Science Library and other school and department libraries. |
| Campus Life | 38 varsity sports team having more than 900 student-athletes; Over 400 student organizations including Capella groups and community services, 4100 intramural sports participants and 60 public service groups; Main campus centuries-old-structures, labs and world-class ibraries | Campus includes Vanderbilt Hall, Nathan Hall, Connecticut Hall, Battell Chapel, Payne Whitney Gymnasium, Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale Center for British Art, Yale Bowl, and other renowned research centers, labs, institutes, museums, etc. There are over 50 students clubs and societies. There are 10 museums and galleries for students to visit and exhibit with. You can enjoy and indulge in various athletic and recreational activities. |
| Hostel | #On campus - $9774 | #Housing and Food - $19900 |
| Famous Alumni | John Hay (US Secretary of State); Charles Evans Hughes (Chief Justice and US Secretary of State); John D Rockefeller Jr (philanthropist); Jim Yong Kim (World Bank President); Ted Turner (CNN founder and America’s Cup yachtsman); Dara Khosroswshahi (Uber CEO); Emma Watson (actress); Mary Chapin Carpenter (humorist); Samuel Gridley Howe (historian) | 62 Nobel laureates, 5 field medalists, 3 Turning Award winners, 5 US Presidents, 31 living billionaires, 19 US Supreme Court Justices, 78 Mac Arthur Fellows, Rhodes Scholars, 119 Marshall Scholars, Meryl Streep (Actress), Hillary Clinton (former US Secretary of State), George W. Bush (43rd US President), Indra Nooti (Pepsico). |
| City Life | Providence is the capital city of Rhode Island; Originally was known as Providence Plantations; One of the first industrialized cities in the USA; known for textile manufacturing, machine tool, jewelry, and silverware industries; Unemployment rate was 4.1% in January 2020 | A coastal city in Connecticut- New Haven. First planned city in the USA. An economy based on education and health care. Yale is the 2nd largest employer and the best-known feature in the city. The city has a lot of ethnically diverse restaurants, museums, art galleries, live music, and other places to be at. The unemployment rate was around 3.7% |
| Weather |
Brown University vs Yale University
Subject Strength
Brown and Yale are both very strong in the life sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Yale leads world rankings (QS:2026 #21 vs #69; THE: #10 in 2025 vs #58 in 2025) and is particularly renowned in history, economics, law, and medicine. Brown is well-ranked for computer science, applied mathematics, and public health, and one of the most adaptable and creative universities academically, due to its Open Curriculum. Yale offers more traditional breadth and structure, while Brown excels at individualized, interdisciplinary methods.
General Information
Brown, founded in 1764, is one of the U.S.'s oldest universities, on a 146-acre urban campus in Providence. Yale, established in 1701, is older once more, with a 373-acre campus in New Haven and extensive international research partnerships. Brown has approximately 11,000 students, while Yale comprises approximately 14,600 students, both having a similar 18–19% international student population. Yale's graduate schools (e.g., Law, Drama, Management) account for its larger enrollment. Both institutions have worldwide alumni bases, but Yale's is more extensive in the political and legal spheres, whereas Brown is regarded as particularly strong in entrepreneurship, media, and public health.
Acceptance Rate
Brown's acceptance rate is ~5%, while Yale's is ~4%. Both are very selective, demanding the best academic records, extracurricular successes, and excellent essays. Yale's rate is a notch more competitive, but Brown's admissions process is special in considering fit with its Open Curriculum philosophy. The application fees for both universities are USD 75.
Location Facts
Brown's Providence campus is in a historic college town with a robust connection to the arts and innovation, near Boston (1 hour) and New York City (3 hours). Yale's campus is in New Haven, a historic city with a thriving cultural and music environment, approximately 90 minutes from New York City. Brown's provides a more subdued, liberal-arts-centric setting, whereas Yale's has a more classic Ivy League presence in a higher-density urban environment.
Cost & Financial Aid
Brown and Yale both have similar tuition and fees at ~USD 66,000/year, and overall expenses (including living) are around USD 85,000/year. Both institutions are need-blind for U.S. citizens and meet 100% of demonstrated financial need. For international students, Yale is need-blind and offers full need-based aid, while Brown is need-aware but nevertheless generous with awarding financial aid.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
Five U.S. presidents (e.g., Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush), dozens of Supreme Court justices, Nobel laureates, and world leaders are among Yale alumni. Brown's alumni are media icons (e.g., Emma Watson), business executives, physicians, and innovative public health professionals. Yale enjoys stronger international recognition in law, politics, and finance, whereas Brown is famous for tech entrepreneurship, creative industries, and medicine/public health. Brown graduates typically enter startups, NGOs, and health/tech industries, whereas Yale graduates control law, government, and Wall Street. Yale's reputation equates to somewhat greater international visibility, yet Brown's alumni network is characterized by intensive support and entrepreneurship.
Infrastructure
Yale boasts superb research facilities, such as the Yale School of Medicine, Beinecke Rare Book Library, Yale Center for Genomic Analysis, and cutting-edge arts and drama facilities. Brown has extensive research infrastructure, particularly in life sciences, applied mathematics, and engineering, and the Warren Alpert Medical School. Brown's facilities focus on collaboration and cross-disciplinary work, whereas Yale's size permits more specialization and historic libraries, museums, and theatres.
Yale is the better option for students who want international reputation, organized academics, and leadership in the law, politics, and international affairs fields. Brown is best for students who want flexibility, innovation, and robust computer science, public health, and arts programs. Yale is more conventional and internationally dominant, and Brown is more experimental and student-oriented.
