Yale vs Tufts - 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%, Tufts admits 11.5%.
The one that looks dearer ends up cheaper: Yale lists $98,900 against $93,182 (Tufts), but after average aid what remains is $24,547 against $33,608.
Ten years on, graduates of Yale earn noticeably more: $101K against $83K.
30 points separate the SAT profiles: 1540 (Yale) against 1510.
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
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 11.49% acceptance). Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#11 vs #151-200). Yale graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($101K vs $83K). Yale has lower sticker-price tuition ($72,500 vs $73,616 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, 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 11.49% acceptance); Yale has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1510).
Yale graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($101K vs $83K); Yale has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.7% vs 93.5%).
Yale has lower sticker-price tuition ($72,500 vs $73,616); Yale offers a larger average aid package ($74,353 vs $59,574).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Yale | Tufts |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #11 | #151-200 |
| Rank · THE | #10 | #179 |
| Acceptance rate | 4.7% | 11.49% |
| Yield rate | 68.4% | 45.5% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1510 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 50,264 | 34,432 |
| International students | 10.6% | 12.5% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $101K | $83K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $66K | $47K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $194K | $132K |
| Graduation rate | 95.7% | 93.5% |
| Retention rate | 99.4% | 95.5% |
| Median debt | $12,975 | $16,250 |
| Tuition · year | $72,500 | $73,616 |
| Avg. aid package | $74,353 | $59,574 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $22,185 | $25,584 |
| Application fee | $80 | - |
| Enrollment | 15,657 | 13,599 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Yale or Tufts?
It's harder to get into Yale. Yale accepts 4.7% of applicants, while Tufts accepts 11.49%.
Do Yale or Tufts graduates earn more?
Yale graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $101K vs $83K.
How much is tuition at Yale vs Tufts?
Sticker-price tuition is $72,500 per year at Yale and $73,616 per year at Tufts.
What SAT score do you need for Yale or Tufts?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Yale and 1510 at Tufts; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Yale or Tufts?
Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #11 for Yale vs #151-200 for Tufts.
Which university offers more financial aid - Yale or Tufts?
The average aid package is $74,353 at Yale and $59,574 at Tufts.
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