Undergraduate Tuition

During the past 20 years, Harvard's undergraduate bill has risen from $14,000 to $39,880 per academic year (before any offsetting financial...

From The September-October 2004 Issue

During the past 20 years, Harvard's undergraduate bill has risen from $14,000 to $39,880 per academic year (before any offsetting financial aid), an increase of 183 percent. The figures below compare tuition and fee growth to the higher-education price index (up about 110 percent); median family income (roughly doubled); and the urban consumer price index (up about 80 percent). Tuition exclusive of room, board, and fees—graphed at bottom—rose from $9,500 to $27,448.


 

Published in the September-October 2004 print issue in the John Harvard's Journal section.

Most popular

The 1884 Cannibalism-at-Sea Case That Still Has Harvard Talking

The Queen v. Dudley and Stephens changed the course of legal history. Here’s why it’s been fodder for countless classroom debates.

Mindfulness—the unconventional research of psychologist Ellen Langer

Psychologist Ellen Langer's unconventional research. Plus, read about applying mindfulness techniques to eating.

An animal’s journey from grief to love shows how much humans need each other, too.

House - Email

Explore More From Current Issue

Runners compete on a track, with a Harvard athlete in the foreground and others behind.

Athletics

After a historic 2025-26 season, athletes eye NCAA championships.

A smiling William C. Kirby in a suit with glasses stands outdoors, surrounded by greenery.

Editor’s Letter

The president of Harvard Magazine’s Board of Directors will step down in September.

Three young women posed side by side against red background.

Students

The 2026-2027 Ledecky and Summer Undergraduate Fellows