U.S. News #3 · 2026
Harvard University
Student size 7,601 · admission rate 3.7%
Data methodology
School-level earnings use institutional College Scorecard data, prioritizing median annual earnings 10 years after entry. Major-level earnings below use program-level College Scorecard data, measured in the fourth full year after completing the credential.
- In-state tuition / year
- $61,676
- Out-of-state or international tuition / year
- $61,676
- Tuition year
- 2025-2026
- Tuition source
- College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution.csv
- Ranking source
- U.S. News & World Report Best National Universities 2026
- Earnings source
- College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution.csv
- Earnings measure
- 10 years after entry median earnings
- Completion rate
- 97.6%
- Median debt
- $12,500
Tuition residency and loan estimate
U.S. colleges commonly price tuition differently for in-state and out-of-state students. This model uses four years of tuition as the loan principal and excludes room, board, scholarships, taxes, and opportunity cost. Fixed-payment formula: payment = principal x monthly rate / (1 - (1 + monthly rate)^-months).
| Annual tuition | $61,676 | |
| Four-year tuition | $246,704 | ROI percentages use this as the denominator |
| 5-year ROI | $262,381 | 106% |
| 8-year ROI | $567,832 | 230% |
| Monthly payment estimate | $2,739 | 10 years, 6% APR |
| Total interest estimate | $81,966 | Fixed-rate amortization estimate only |
Major earnings, tuition, and loan-adjusted ROI
Major-level earnings are College Scorecard program data: median annual earnings in the fourth full year after completing the credential among people who are working and not enrolled. Loan-adjusted ROI equals cumulative earnings minus estimated total loan repayment, with the percentage shown against four-year tuition.
| Major | Major earnings | Four-year tuition | Total loan repayment | 5-year ROI | 8-year ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Statistics Sample 52 · quality 3/5 | $230,876 | $246,704 | $328,670 | $825,710 335% | $1,518,338 615% |
Computer Science Sample 183 · quality 4/5 | $203,169 | $246,704 | $328,670 | $687,175 279% | $1,296,682 526% |
Applied Mathematics Sample 120 · quality 3/5 | $170,689 | $246,704 | $328,670 | $524,775 213% | $1,036,842 420% |
Economics Sample 258 · quality 5/5 | $155,592 | $246,704 | $328,670 | $449,290 182% | $916,066 371% |
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences Sample 75 · quality 3/5 | $117,816 | $246,704 | $328,670 | $260,410 106% | $613,858 249% |
Political Science and Government Sample 164 · quality 5/5 | $95,838 | $246,704 | $328,670 | $150,520 61% | $438,034 178% |
Natural Sciences Sample 29 · quality 3/5 | $95,507 | $246,704 | $328,670 | $148,865 60% | $435,386 176% |
Social Sciences, General Sample 189 · quality 5/5 | $78,996 | $246,704 | $328,670 | $66,310 27% | $303,298 123% |
History Sample 161 · quality 5/5 | $70,679 | $246,704 | $328,670 | $24,725 10% | $236,762 96% |
Research and Experimental Psychology Sample 101 · quality 3/5 | $70,167 | $246,704 | $328,670 | $22,165 9% | $232,666 94% |
English Language and Literature, General Sample 38 · quality 3/5 | $50,428 | $246,704 | $328,670 | -$76,530 -31% | $74,754 30% |
African Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics Sample 0 · quality 2/5 | N/A | $246,704 | $328,670 | N/A N/A | N/A N/A |