Yale vs Georgetown - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Yale admits 4.7%, Georgetown admits 13.5%.
Real money goes to international students at Yale ($84,185 on average), while Georgetown stops at $75,050.
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Yale starts at $98,900 against $97,736 and ends at $24,547 against $34,321 (Georgetown).
Candidates with higher SAT scores go to Yale: a midpoint of 1540 against 1480, a difference of 60 points.
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Yale is the more selective of the two (4.7% vs 13.5% acceptance). Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#11 vs #501-600). Median earnings 10 years after enrollment are effectively tied ($101K vs $103K). Yale has lower sticker-price tuition ($72,500 vs $74,732 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Yale for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, a higher graduation rate.
Choose Georgetown for: higher graduate earnings.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Yale is more selective (4.7% vs 13.5% acceptance); Yale has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1480).
Georgetown graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($103K vs $101K); Yale has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.7% vs 94.8%).
Yale has lower sticker-price tuition ($72,500 vs $74,732); Yale offers a larger average aid package ($74,353 vs $63,415).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Yale | Georgetown |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #11 | #501-600 |
| Rank · THE | #10 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 4.7% | 13.5% |
| Yield rate | 68.4% | 43.9% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1480 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 50,264 | 26,822 |
| International students | 10.6% | 14.4% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $101K | $103K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $66K | $67K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $194K | $168K |
| Graduation rate | 95.7% | 94.8% |
| Retention rate | 99.4% | 96.3% |
| Median debt | $12,975 | $15,500 |
| Tuition · year | $72,500 | $74,732 |
| Avg. aid package | $74,353 | $63,415 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $22,185 | $33,272 |
| Application fee | $80 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 15,657 | 19,905 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Yale or Georgetown?
It's harder to get into Yale. Yale accepts 4.7% of applicants, while Georgetown accepts 13.5%.
Do Yale or Georgetown graduates earn more?
Earnings are practically equal - 10 years after enrollment, the median is $101K at Yale and $103K at Georgetown.
How much is tuition at Yale vs Georgetown?
Sticker-price tuition is $72,500 per year at Yale and $74,732 per year at Georgetown.
What SAT score do you need for Yale or Georgetown?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Yale and 1480 at Georgetown; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Yale or Georgetown?
Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #11 for Yale vs #501-600 for Georgetown.
Which university offers more financial aid - Yale or Georgetown?
The average aid package is $74,353 at Yale and $63,415 at Georgetown.
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