Harvey Mudd College vs Vanderbilt
When it comes to higher education, Harvey Mudd College and Vanderbilt University stand out as two exceptional institutions with distinct offerings. Harvey Mudd, a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California, is renowned for its rigorous STEM curriculum and small class sizes, while Vanderbilt, a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, boasts a diverse range of academic programs and a vibrant campus life. With acceptance rates of 13% and 10%, respectively, both universities are highly selective, attracting top students from across the nation. While Harvey Mudd's student body is predominantly male (63%) and Asian (40%), Vanderbilt's student population is more evenly distributed across genders (50% male, 50% female) and ethnicities (40% White, 20% Asian, 10% Black or African American, 10% Hispanic or Latino). Explore the comparison table below to delve deeper into the differences between these two prestigious institutions, including popular majors, graduation rates
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![]() Harvey Mudd College |
![]() Vanderbilt University |
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Overview |
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Location | Claremont, California | Nashville, Tennessee |
Campus setting | Suburb: Large | City: Large |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 98.0% | 97.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | ||
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 10.0% | 7.1% |
Application fees | $70 |
Undergraduate:
$50
Graduate:
$95
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SAT range | 1480 - 1560 | 1480 - 1570 |
ACT range | 34 - 36 | 34 - 35 |
Students submitting SAT score | 40.0% | 25.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 20.0% | 32.0% |
Total number of applicants | 4,737 | 47,152 |
Total number of admissions given out | 473 | 3,368 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 225 | 1,626 |
Yield rate | 47.6% | 48.3% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Not required | Required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Not required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $82,236 | $79,538 |
Average net price | $33,838 | $27,553 |
Tuition | $60,402 | $54,840 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$10,592
Meal plan:
$8,741
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Room/dormitory:
$12,000
Meal plan:
$6,376
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
63.0%
Average amount $32,188 |
64.0%
Average amount $49,730 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
38.0%
Average amount $4,821 |
10.0%
Average amount $4,979 |
Students taking out private loans |
4.0%
Average amount $9,820 |
2.0%
Average amount $27,798 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
905
Men 50.3% Women 49.7% |
7,111
Men 48.9% Women 51.1% |
Graduate students | N/A |
6,685
Men 39.5% Women 60.5% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
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Moderate
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Out-of-state students | N/A | 89.5% |
International students | 8.5% | 11.7% |
Campus local/setting | Suburb: Large | City: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 926 | 5,598 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | Yes | Yes |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | N/A | Tennessee California New York Florida Texas |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 9:1 | 8:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 94.4% | 93.4% |
Dropout rate | 0.5% | 6.4% |
Transferred out | 4.7% | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Mathematics and Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
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Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies (Master's Degrees)
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees)
Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Law (First Professional Degrees)
Marketing (Master's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (First Professional Degrees)
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
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