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Harvard University vs Princeton University

On research quality in 2022-now, Harvard University ranks #8 in the world and Princeton University #34, of 28,054 institutions. Harvard University stands higher in 7 of the 16 fields both publish in, Princeton University in 9.

Research profiles alike: -0.19different shapes of research, whatever their size. How it is measured

Harvard University

United States · Cambridge

World rank, 2022-now
#8
#1 all time
Works, 2022-now
25k
fractional
Top-10% rate
28.6%
share of its work among the world's most cited
Open access
42%
of its works free to read

Strongest relative focus: Aging, Endocrine and Autonomic Systems, Family Practice.

Princeton University

United States · Princeton

World rank, 2022-now
#34
#20 all time
Works, 2022-now
8.8k
fractional
Top-10% rate
28.4%
share of its work among the world's most cited
Open access
33%
of its works free to read

Strongest relative focus: General Decision Sciences, General Psychology, Discrete Mathematics and Combinatorics.

Who leads in each field?

Harvard University stands higher in 7 of 16 fields, Princeton University in 9. Each bar is that side's standing among all institutions ranked in the field: the full bar is first place.

Harvard University 79 Princeton University
  1. -Arts and Humanities#116
  2. #1Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology#51
  3. -Chemistry#13
  4. -Computer Science#107
  5. -Decision Sciences#30
  6. #4Economics, Econometrics and Finance#125
  7. -Engineering#251
  8. -Environmental Science#125
  9. #1Health Professions-
  10. #1Immunology and Microbiology-
  11. -Mathematics#7
  12. #1Medicine#784
  13. #1Neuroscience#38
  14. #8Physics and Astronomy#3
  15. #5Psychology#168
  16. -Social Sciences#134

Standing is the percentile of world rank within each field, 2022-now; the printed number is the rank itself. A dash means the field is too small there to rank. How sides are compared.

Where does each put its research?

Not who is better, but what each side chooses to work on. A country or institution that puts twice the world's share of its research into a field sits at 2×, whatever its size.

  1. Dentistry1.3× 0.1×
  2. Medicine2.2× 0.2×
  3. Immunology and Microbiology2.4× 0.4×
  4. Nursing1.3× 0.2×
  5. Health Professions1.7× 0.3×
  6. Neuroscience3.0× 1.6×
  7. Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics0.9× 0.5×
  8. Psychology1.7× 0.9×
  9. Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology2.1× 1.1×
  10. Veterinary0.5× 0.3×
  11. Economics, Econometrics and Finance1.1× 1.6×
  12. Agricultural and Biological Sciences0.2× 0.3×
  13. Business, Management and Accounting0.2× 0.4×
  14. Environmental Science0.6× 1.0×
  15. Decision Sciences0.6× 1.3×
  16. Mathematics1.2× 3.1×
  17. Social Sciences0.4× 1.2×
  18. Materials Science0.3× 0.9×
  19. Engineering0.3× 0.9×
  20. Computer Science0.3× 1.2×
  21. Chemistry0.4× 1.4×
  22. Energy0.2× 0.9×
  23. Physics and Astronomy1.1× 5.2×
  24. Earth and Planetary Sciences0.4× 2.2×
  25. Arts and Humanities0.3× 2.4×
  26. Chemical Engineering0.2× 1.8×
Harvard UniversityPrinceton University

Location quotient in 2022-now: the share of each side's research in the field over the world's share. 1× is the world's balance; the axis runs from a quarter of it to four times. Fields where Harvard University leans further are at the top, Princeton University's at the bottom. How research profiles are compared.

How has their output grown?

2.5k5k7.5kHarvard University5,663 in 2025Princeton University2,150 in 20251990200020102020

Fractional works per year. The latest, partial year is left off.

Which publishes more research, Harvard University or Princeton University?

Harvard University publishes 2.9× as much research as Princeton University in 2022-now (25k against 8.8k fractional works).

Whose research has more impact, Harvard University or Princeton University?

28.6% of Harvard University's research reaches the world's top 10% most cited, against 28.4% for Princeton University.

Other comparisons

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Questions people ask

Which is stronger in research, Harvard or Princeton?

On research quality in 2022-now, Harvard University ranks #8 in the world and Princeton University #34, of 28,054 institutions. Harvard University stands higher in 7 of the 16 fields both publish in, Princeton University in 9.

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