Mansi parihar Study Abroad Course Expert
Study Abroad Course Expert | Updated On - Aug 19, 2025
Stanford University and Harvard University are the two private reseach universities of the USA ranking among the top 10 institutions in the world. Stanford University has been ranked #3 in the world according to the QS World University Rankings of 2026. Harvard University was also ranked #5 in the world according to the QS World University Rankings of 2026.
| Stanford University | Harvard University | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 9.3 Out of 10 | 10 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 3 QS World University 2026 # 3 Center for World University Rankings 2025 # 6 Times Higher Education 2025 | # 5 QS World University 2026 # 1 Center for World University Rankings 2025 # 3 Times Higher Education 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 2 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2025 # 3 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 # 1 for Law by Times Higher Education 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 |
| Programs | UG Programs -48 PG Programs -37 Doctorate Programs -70 | UG Programs -40 PG Programs -53 Doctorate Programs -9 |
| Acceptance Rate | 3.9 % | 3.4 % |
| Exam Score | GMAT-630 IELTS-7 SAT-1450 TOEFL-100 | GMAT-620 GRE-300 IELTS-7 SAT-1470 TOEFL-80 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 65286 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 72420 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 33155 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 71030 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 32724 Per Year |
| placement (average package) |
Stanford University is one of the top private universities in Stanford, United States. It is ranked #3 in QS World University Rankings 2023. Ranked #2 in Graduate Employability Rank
| 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.
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| application requirements | Supplemental Form (for a few programs); | Teacher Evaluation forms (as additional LORs); Sample of academic work, potfolio, music recordings, art work, etc (supplementary documents); IELTS/TOEFL; Standardized test scores |
| Campuses and B-Schools | Stanford Graduate School of Business | Harvard Law School Harvard Extension School Harvard Kennedy School Harvard Business School |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 8.4/10 Read 4 reviews | 7.1/10 Read 5 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 2 for Business by US News 2025 # 3 for Business by QS World University 2025 # 3 for Business by Times Higher Education 2023 | # 1 for Business by QS World University 2025 # 6 for Business by US News 2025 # 2 for Business by Times Higher Education 2023 |
| application | #7295 Applicants # 424 Admissions # 5 % Acceptance Rate | #9856 Applicants # 930 Admissions # 9 % Acceptance Rate |
| exam scores | GMAT - 738/800GRE - 327/340IELTS - 7/9PTE - 68/90TOEFL - 113/120 | Duolingo - 145/160GMAT - 740/800GRE - 326/340IELTS - 7.5/9PTE - 75/90TOEFL - 109/120 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Sep 9, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Jan 7, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Apr 7, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) | Sep 3, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline for Fall 2028 Intake) Dec 10, 2025 (Round 1 Application Decision for Fall 2028 Intake) Jan 5, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline for Fall 2028 Intake) Mar 25, 2026 (Round 2 Application Decision for Fall 2028 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | Stanford University | Harvard University |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1885 | 1636 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 5:1 | 7:1 |
| Male:Female | 50% Male, 50% Female | 52% Male, 48% Female |
| Location Facts | The campus is located in the center of the San Francisco Peninsula. Settled on 8,180 acres of land, the campus is located approx. 37 miles southeast of San Francisco and approx. 20 miles northwest of San Jose. | 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 | With a network of 20 libraries, the Stanford University Library has a collection of 9.3 million volumes, nearly 300,000 rare or special books, 1.5 million e-books, 2.5 million audiovisual materials, 77,000 serials, nearly 6 million microform holdings, and thousands of other digital resources. | 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 | Campus landmarks include the Main Quad, Memorial Church, Cantor Center for Visual Arts, Bing Concert Hall, Stanford Mausoleum, Hoover Tower, Stanford University Arboretum, Green Library, 31 Club Sports, etc. There are over 625 student-organized groups to participate in, eight dining halls to experience the food on-campus, 2 museums, and 25 student affairs offices. | 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 | #Campus Housing(Graduate) - $23535 | #Medium Single - $10719 #Large Single - $13644 #Standard Single - $8361 |
| Famous Alumni | Presently, there are more than 220,000 Stanford alumni that include 83 Nobel laureates, 28 Turing Award laureates, 8 Fields Medalists, 270 Olympic medals including 139 gold medals. Larry Page (Co-founder Google); Mike Krieger (Co-founder, Instagram); Peter Thiel (Co-founder, Paypal); Gene D. Block (8th chancellor of UCLA); Derek Bok (25th president of Harvard), etc. | 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) |
| City Life | Located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, Stanford is a census-designated place in California. You can explore various museums, the national zoo, enjoy delicacies of all kinds available at multicuisine restaurants, enjoy basketball games, national baseball games, Jazz music, waterfront near Georgetown, and more. The unemployment rate of the city is 5.1% | Cambridge- city in Massachusetts; home to a huge student community; city offers a great nightlife with gastropubs, live music, and cocktail bars. Boston’s cosmopolitan excitement is bus-ride away. Average salaries offered within the state are up to 97,5000 USD; Famous tourist attractions: Charles River, Harvard Square, Mount Auburn Cemetery, MIT Museum, CambrdgeSide, John Harvard Statue, Sanders Theatre; Unemployment rate- 3.2% |
| Weather |
Comparison of Stanford University with Harvard University
Strength of subjects
Stanford University and Harvard University are always ranked among the global best in nearly all subject categories. Stanford is particularly dominant in Engineering, Computer Science, and Business, whereas Harvard is ahead in the world for Law, Medicine, and Social Sciences. Students choosing areas of study such as technology, AI, or engineering tend to prefer Stanford, while those interested in studying law, medical sciences, or management tend to opt for Harvard.
General Information
Stanford University is a private research institution in California with approximately 17,000 students. Harvard University, which is in Massachusetts, also has approximately 24,500 students. Harvard and Stanford both have international students from all over the globe, but Harvard has a little more international reputation in the traditional areas of business and law. Stanford is in very close proximity to Silicon Valley, so it is perfect for international students who are in the tech field.
Acceptance Rate
Harvard University boasts a world-lowest acceptance rate of around 3.4% and is extremely competitive. Stanford University has an equally low acceptance rate of approximately 3.7%. Both are highly competitive, but Harvard is slightly more difficult to gain admission into.
Location Facts
Stanford's proximity to Silicon Valley offers unprecedented opportunities for internships, networking, and placements in tech startups and multinationals. Harvard, located in Boston–Cambridge, takes advantage of a rich academic setting, having many other elite universities nearby, with all the cultural diversity and research collaboration opportunities.
Hostel Fees
Both of these universities are expensive private institutions with high cost of living. Harvard accommodation is marginally pricier due to Boston having a higher real estate market, with Stanford providing relatively lower-priced on-campus accommodation, albeit Silicon Valley off-campus rents proving very expensive.
Salary Package and Recruitment Process
Graduates from both the institutions land high-paying employment globally. Stanford graduates, particularly in engineering and tech, are frequently offered high-paying jobs from premier companies such as Google, Apple, and Tesla. Harvard graduates corner the market in law, finance, consulting, and healthcare. Stanford graduates' average starting salary is approximately $160,000 for MBA graduates, and Harvard MBA graduates take home approximately $175,000, reflecting a highly competitive hiring process at both.
Infrastructure
Stanford University is famous for its expansive 8,100-acre campus, world-class labs, and advanced research facilities. Harvard, being the USA's oldest university, boasts an age-old campus with one of the world's biggest libraries, the Widener Library, containing more than 3.5 million books. Both universities offer unrivaled academic resources.
