- Harvard’s 2025 rate for the Class of 2028 was 3.6%. Out of 54,008 applicants, 1,970 were admitted and 1,647 enrolled. Source: Harvard University Common Data Set 2024-2025.
- Harvard’s 3.6% acceptance rate means 1 in 27 applicants is admitted. Strong applicants typically score 1510–1580 on the SAT (74% submitted scores in the last test-optional cycle), rank in the top 10% of their high school class (94% of enrolled students did), and demonstrate depth in extracurricular activities. Harvard weighs course rigor, essays, recommendations, and character above GPA.
If Harvard is on your college shortlist, one number matters above all others: what are my chances?
Quick answer: Harvard accepted 3.6% of applicants for the Class of 2028. That’s 1,970 students out of the 54,008 who applied. Put another way: 1 out of every 27 applicants.
Here’s what makes 2025 data different. The Class of 2028 was Harvard’s last test-optional class. Starting with the Class of 2029, SAT and ACT scores are required again. That single policy reshapes how applicants should read some of the figures below.
Let’s pull them apart together.
Harvard acceptance rate at a glance (Class of 2028)
| Figure | Number |
| Total Applications | 54,008 |
| Admitted Students | 1,970 |
| Total Enrolled | 1,647 |
| Acceptance Rate | 3.6% |
| Admitted Students Who Enrolled | 83.6% |
| First-Year Retention Rate | 98% |
| Student-to-Faculty Ratio | 7:1 |
Two numbers in our table deserve a second look.
First, 83.6% of admitted students enrolled. When you get into Harvard, you go — Cambridge is so much cooler than New Haven. Only the University of Chicago (88%) and MIT (85%) boast a higher yield.
Harvard never has to over-admit to fill its class: just one reason the acceptance rate stays so low.
The student-to-faculty ratio is 7 to 1. That puts Harvard in elite company with only Princeton and Yale running ahead. For comparison, Cornell sits at 12:1. If small class sizes and faculty access matter to you, Harvard’s advantage is real.
Acceptance rates by residency: where applicants come from
Harvard’s Common Data Set breaks down applicants by residency. But here’s the catch: it doesn’t publish admit rates by residency.
Unlike other scholars who separate in-state, out-of-state, and international acceptance, Harvard only reports on the applicant pool.
| Applicant Residency | Applications |
| In-state (Massachusetts) | 3,032 |
| Out-of-State (other U.S. state) | 34,216 |
| International | 16,670 |
Takeaways:
- 31% of Harvard’s applicants are international. That’s a massive global pool competing for the same 1,970 seats as everyone else.
- Out-of-state applications make up 63% of the pool. Harvard doesn’t offer in-state pricing. It’s a private university without a state-residency tuition tier.
- 86% of enrolled first-year students come from outside Massachusetts. Harvard recruits (and admits) on a national and global scale.
Harvard doesn’t offer residency-specific acceptance rates. The 3.6% top-line number is the only rate it publishes.
Academic profile: Who gets into Harvard?
Test score ranges for the Class of 2028 get tricky to interpret. Only 73% of enrolled first-year students submitted scores — 54% SAT and 19% ACT. The remaining applied under Harvard’s test-optional policy and got in without submitting scores.
We don’t have data for the Class of 2029 when Harvard rescinded its test-optional policy. The scores reported below are self-selected — applicants who chose to submit likely because their scores were strong. You should read these ranges with that in mind.
See also: Which colleges didn’t require standardized tests in 2025?
SAT and ACT Score Ranges (2025)
| Test Section | 25th percentile | 50th percentile (median) | 75th percentile |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing | 740 | 760 | 780 |
| SAT Math | 770 | 790 | 800 |
| SAT Composite (derived) | 1510 | 1550 | 1580 |
| ACT Composite | 34 | 35 | 36 |
| ACT English | 32 | 35 | 36 |
| ACT Math | 32 | 35 | 36 |
How to read these: the 25th–75th percentile is the middle 50% of enrolled students. A 1510 SAT puts you at the 25th percentile, meaning that a whopping three-quarters of Harvard students who submitted scores were at 1510 or higher.
Three-quarters scored above a 34 on the ACT.
A few things worth mentioning:
- The math floor is brutal. A 770 sits at the 25th percentile, meaning 75% of submitters scored 770 or higher on SAT Math. About a quarter scored a perfect 800. Wow!
- 98% of SAT score submitters were in the 1400–1600 band. There’s little daylight at the low end.
- The ACT range is even more tightly compressed. A 34 is the 25th percentile, and a 36 is at the 75th. Half of admitted ACT test-takers scored a 35 or 36.
High school class rank
| Class Rank | Percentage of Enrolled Students |
| Top 10% of graduating class | 94% |
| Top 25% of graduating class | 99% |
| Top Half | 100% |
Great big caveat: only 29% of enrolled students submitted class rank. Many high schools no longer report it. But of those who did, 94% were in the top decile of their class.
See also: Does my high school ranking matter?
GPA for Harvard-enrolled students
The average high school GPA of enrolled students at Harvard was 4.21 on a 4.0 scale — Harvard’s reporting reflects weighted GPAs from many applicants. Nearly 75% had a 4.0 or higher.
What Harvard actually cares about in admissions
This section matters more than any number above. Read it twice.
Harvard’s Common Data Set explicitly ranks how admissions weighs each part of your application.
Harvard Admissions Factors
| Factor | Importance |
| Rigor of secondary school | Very important |
| Standardized test scores | Very important |
| Application essays | Very important |
| Recommendations | Very important |
| Extracurricular activities | Very important |
| Talent/ability | Very important |
| Character/personal qualities | Very important |
| Class rank | Important |
| Academic GPA | Important |
| First-generation status | Considered |
| Alumni/ae relation | Considered |
| Geographic residence | Considered |
| State Residency | Considered |
| Volunteer Work | Considered |
| Work experience | Considered |
| Level of applicant’s interest | Not considered |
| Interview | Not considered |
| Religious affiliation | Not considered |
A few considerations:
Standardized tests are “Very Important.” Harvard puts them in the same tier as essays and recommendations. This is a meaningful tell. Many peer schools list tests as “Considered,” but Harvard places them at the top.
Combined with Harvard’s reversal of its test-optional policy, it’s clear: testing is back, and it carries real weight. Like many other schools of Harvard’s caliber, interest in attending doesn’t move the needle. No demonstrated interest factor.
Additionally, GPA is only listed as “Important,” not “Very Important.” It falls below course rigor. That means your B in AP Physics is likely doing more work than an A in regular Physics. Translation: take challenging courses.
Character and personal qualities also make it to the top tier. This is what your essays and recommendations are doing: building a case for who you are, not just what you’ve done.
Generic accomplishments don’t win over Harvard admissions. Your academic profile has to show real depth.
Original research establishes your academic bona fides like few other extracurriculars. Get paired with a scholar at a top institution and work on an actual research paper.
Check out our Research Scholar Program
Cost of attending Harvard and financial aid
For many families, after answering “Can I get in?,” the second question concerns the price tag.
Estimated annual cost of attendance (before aid), 2025 – 2026
| Cost | Amount |
| Tuition | $59,320 |
| Required fees | $5,476 |
| Food and housing (on-campus) | $22,130 |
| Books and supplies | $1,000 |
| Other expenses | $2,500 |
Total Direct Cost: $90,400
Take a breath. Almost nobody pays that.
Harvard Financial Aid
Harvard meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for every admitted student every year.
That’s not marketing language. Of the 920 first-year students who applied for need-based aid and qualified, all 920 had their full need met.
The average need-based scholarship and grant award for first-year students was $73,497. That covers tuition outright for most families.
And then there’s the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative (HFAI). Starting with the 2023-2024 school year, Harvard is free (tuition, housing, food, all of it) for families with annual incomes below $85,000. A quarter of Harvard students come from families under that threshold. In addition, juniors from those families also get a $2,000 Launch Grant to help with post-graduation expenses.
Use Harvard’s Net Price Calculator for a personalized estimate. You’ll find the sticker price is rarely what families actually pay.
One final data point: only 13% of the Class of 2024 graduated with any student loan debt. Among those who borrowed, the average was $22,262 — well below the national average for four-year private institutions.
Strengthening your Harvard application
| Take harder courses even if your GPA dips slightly | Course rigor is “Very Important.” GPA is only “Important.” Harvard is reading your transcript to see if you stretched. |
| Take standardized testing seriously (it’s required again) | Tests are back, and they’re weighted in the top tier. The middle 50% of submitters scored 1510 – 1580 on the SAT. Plan for multiple sittings. |
| Write essays that show character, not accomplishments | “Character/personal qualities” sit in Harvard’s top tier. Recommendations and essays are how admissions learn who you are. |
| Build extracurriculars with real depth | Talent/ability is “Very Important.” Five clubs where you barely show up won’t help. One or two serious commitments will. |
FAQ
What is Harvard’s acceptance rate?
Harvard’s acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 was 3.6%: 54,008 students applied, and 1,970 were admitted. The yield rate was 83.6%, meaning the vast majority of admitted students chose to enroll.
Does Harvard require the SAT or ACT?
Yes — starting with the Class of 2029 (Fall 2025 entry), Harvard required either the SAT or ACT. The Class of 2028 data above reflects Harvard’s last test-optional cycle, when only 73% of enrolled students submitted scores. Going forward, all applicants must submit scores barring exceptional circumstances (in rare cases, AP or IB scores may be accepted as a substitute).
What SAT score do I need for Harvard?
Among enrolled first-year students who submitted SAT scores, the middle 50% ranged from approximately 1510 to 1580, with a median of around 1550. The 25th percentile sits at 740 for Reading & Writing and 770 for Math.
Is it easier to get into Harvard as a Massachusetts resident?
Harvard doesn’t publish admission rates by residency, so there’s no way to confirm a state-residency advantage. What we know: only about 14% of enrolled first-year students come from Massachusetts. As a private university, Harvard has no in-state tuition tier, unlike public flagships or schools like Cornell with state-affiliated contract colleges.
What does Harvard actually look for in admissions?
Harvard lists seven factors as “Very Important”: course rigor, test scores, the application essay, recommendations, extracurriculars, talent/ability, and character/personal qualities. GPA and class rank are only “Important.” Demonstrated interest, religious affiliation, and the interview are not considered.
The takeaway: rigor in coursework, depth in extracurriculars, and authentic essays move applications further than chasing an unweighted 4.0.
Finally, if you’re really serious about getting into Harvard, find a college counselor who really knows what they’re talking about.
The odds may be daunting, but you won’t know your actual chances without a real review.
The figures in this guide are drawn from Harvard University’s official Common Data Set 2024 –2025. Reported counts (applications, enrollments, test scores, costs, etc.) are taken directly from this document. Always confirm current-year requirements, deadlines, and testing policies on Harvard’s website before applying.
