Otis College vs Harvard

Otis College of Art and Design and Harvard University, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, stand apart in their offerings and student experiences. Otis College, a specialized art and design school in Los Angeles, boasts a tight-knit community and an acceptance rate of 75%, while Harvard, a world-renowned research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is highly selective with an acceptance rate of just 5%. While both institutions offer a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs, Otis College excels in art and design disciplines, while Harvard is known for its strength in a wide array of fields, including social sciences, humanities, and STEM. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into further distinctions between these two exceptional institutions, including popular majors, student body demographics, graduation rates, and more, to help you make an informed decision about your academic journey.
Harvard University logo

Harvard University

Otis College of Art and Design logo

Otis College of Art and Design

Overview

Location Cambridge, Massachusetts Los Angeles, California
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 96.0% 78.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 4.0% 79.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $105
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
SAT range 1480 - 1580 1130 - 1360
ACT range 33 - 36 20 - 29
Students submitting SAT score 54.0% 13.0%
Students submitting ACT score 31.0% 3.0%
Total number of applicants 57,786 2,284
Total number of admissions given out 2,318 1,823
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,951 263
Yield rate 84.2% 14.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $78,028 $70,802
Average net price $13,910 $45,402
Tuition $51,143 $47,700
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $11,705

Meal plan: $7,236
$15,744
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

56.0%
Average amount $59,840
100.0%
Average amount $21,593
Students receiving federal student loan 3.0%
Average amount $5,180
48.0%
Average amount $5,811
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $8,080
5.0%
Average amount $26,799

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 9,579
Men 49.0% Women 51.0%
1,197
Men 30.5% Women 69.5%
Graduate students 21,766
Men 46.3% Women 53.7%
55
Men 18.2% Women 81.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 23.9% 30.2%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Large
Dormitory capacity 12,874 403
First year students are required to live on campus? Yes No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New York California Texas Illinois New Jersey N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • Education
  • Legal Profession
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Architecture
  • English Language and Literature
Students to faculty ratio 7:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 96.7% 68.6%
Dropout rate 2.0% 31.4%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Statistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,193
  • Year 2: $128,716
  • Year 3: $240,408
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $184,307
  • Year 2: $165,340
  • Year 3: $199,043
Business Administration, Management and Operations (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $171,333
  • Year 2: $171,907
  • Year 3: $187,553
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $140,072
  • Year 2: $128,737
  • Year 3: $163,896
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $151,371
  • Year 2: $174,023
  • Year 3: $163,512
Public Health (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $123,508
  • Year 2: $117,916
  • Year 3: $129,281
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $106,421
  • Year 3: $121,832
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $102,707
  • Year 2: $90,856
  • Year 3: $121,771
Education, General (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $97,905
  • Year 2: $98,670
  • Year 3: $107,389
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,745
  • Year 2: $71,486
  • Year 3: $106,375
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,497
  • Year 2: $42,123
  • Year 3: $48,158
Visual and Performing Arts, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,531
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $39,370
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $17,166
  • Year 2: $18,315
  • Year 3: N/A
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $22,667
  • Year 3: N/A

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