Comparison · 9 material differences
Harvard Club of New York City vs The Union League of Philadelphia
This comparison was generated on request from the records. It carries no editorial verdict and is not indexed. The published comparisons are listed on the compare page.
Read down each column for one organization, across a row for the difference. A bronze mark at the left of a cell means the organizations differ on that row. A dash or “not published” means the organization does not disclose the fact — it is not a zero.
Verified September 2026
Private club
Verified September 2026 Harvard Club of New York City
Harvard University and Radcliffe College degree recipients, current and former faculty, fellows, officers and University appointment holders of at least one full academic year…
Private club
The Union League of Philadelphia
The League describes its members as leaders in business, education, technology, healthcare, law, government, religion, art and culture.
What the records say
- Gender — Harvard Club of New York City: No published gender; The Union League of Philadelphia: Open to men and women.
- Geographic restriction — Harvard Club of New York City: Dues category is set by home and professional address: Resident/Professional (the five boroughs), Tri-State, Non-Resident East, and Non-Resident West and International; The Union League of Philadelphia: No published geographic restriction.
- Annual dues — Harvard Club of New York City: $573–2,864 a year; The Union League of Philadelphia: Not publicly disclosed.
Side by side
| Harvard Club of New York City | The Union League of Philadelphia | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Private club | Private club |
| Founded | 1865 (Founded in 1865 by a small group of alumni; the first meeting was held at the Mercantile Library Building on Astor Place and four members attended. A constitution was adopted in 1878 and the club was incorporated in New York State in 1887.) | 1862 (Founded in 1862 as a patriotic society supporting the Union and the policies of President Abraham Lincoln; Wikipedia dates the founding to 22 November 1862. Motto: Amor Patriae Ducit.) |
| Headquarters | New York, United States | Philadelphia, United States |
| Geographic footprint | Single clubhouse on West 44th Street, Manhattan, with entrances at 27 and 35 West 44th Street; members are drawn worldwide and dues categories reflect distance from the club | League House at 140 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, plus club-owned properties in Philadelphia, Gladwyne and Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania, Stone Harbor, New Jersey, and Swainton, New Jersey |
| Members | Not publicly disclosed | 4,000as of September 2026 |
| Chapters | Single clubhouse; no chapters | No chapters; the League owns several properties operated as one membership |
| Primary audience | Harvard University and Radcliffe College degree recipients, current and former faculty, fellows, officers and University appointment holders of at least one full academic year, current and former University-wide board and committee members, and former full-time students in good standing in a Harvard degree programme for at least one full academic year. | The League describes its members as leaders in business, education, technology, healthcare, law, government, religion, art and culture. |
| Typical member | Members are Harvard-affiliated by degree, faculty appointment or University service, plus spouses and life partners admitted in reduced-rate categories. Dues bands are set by years since undergraduate degree and by whether the member lives or works in New York City, the tri-state area, the eastern states, or further afield. | Members are drawn from Philadelphia-area business and professional life. The League says it is home to over 4,000 men and women; it does not publish an age, wealth or seniority profile. |
| Qualification | ||
| Gender | No published gender | Open to men and womenThe League describes itself as home to over 4,000 men and women; the first female member, Mary Roebling, was admitted in 1983 and Joan Carter became the first female president in 2010verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Geographic restriction | Dues category is set by home and professional address: Resident/Professional (the five boroughs), Tri-State, Non-Resident East, and Non-Resident West and InternationalWhichever address is closest to the club determines the categoryverified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published geographic restriction |
| Invitation required | No | No |
| Sponsor required | No | Yes |
| Application process | Applicants apply online in the category matching their Harvard affiliation. The club verifies the affiliation and contacts the applicant with membership information in about three weeks. There is no published requirement for proposers or seconders. A separate route exists for the graduating class of the year and for Harvard summer students. | A candidate first identifies a proposer who has known them for at least a year, then attends a monthly Prospective Member Reception and submits a formal proposal. Six sponsors who know the candidate personally are required. Once added to the monthly Posting List the candidate attends civic events run by Founding Forward, interviews with the Admissions Committee, and is then elected and inducted at a dinner. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed. Admission turns on verifying a qualifying Harvard affiliation rather than on a published selection or ballot. | Not publicly disclosed. The League publishes the steps but no acceptance rate, waiting time or rejection figures. |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | $573–2,864 a yearResident/Professional category (residence, business or employment in the five boroughs of New York City), banded by years since undergraduate degree: under 4 years $573; 4 to under 6 $859; 6 to under 8 $1,289; 8 to under 10 $1,910; 10 or more $2,864. Excludes taxes.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Initiation fee | $250–2,864 one-timeEntrance fee applies to all membership categories and equals 100% of a full year of dues, subject to a $250 minimum. Payable in full or in three instalments over two years, the first due on membership activation. No entrance fee applies to Signing Privilege Membership or to widows'/widowers' privileges.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Membership term | Annual, on a fiscal year ending 30 June; dues payable quarterly, half-yearly or annually | Not documented |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Clubhouse open daily, closing to members at 11pm; talks, performances, art classes, wine tastings and other member programming through the year | Clubhouse open daily; monthly Prospective Member Receptions; year-round member, civic and Founding Forward programming |
| Peer forums | Not documented | Not documented |
| Confidentiality | The club maintains House Rules governing technology use in the clubhouse; specific terms are not published in full | Not publicly disclosed |
| Time commitment | Not documented | Not documented |
| Organized as | Clubhouse premises, Event-focused | Clubhouse premises, Event-focused |
| Confidential peer forums | No | No |
| Local chapters | No | No |
| Virtual membership | No | No |
| Online community | No | No |
| Member directory | Not documented | Not documented |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | No | Partial |
| Retreats | No | No |
| Travel | Yes | Yes |
| Family programming | Not documented | Yes |
| Spouse and partner programming | Yes | Not documented |
| Next-generation programming | Partial | Not documented |
| Investment discussions | No | No |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | Yes | Yes |
| Networking emphasis | High | High |
| Social emphasis | High | High |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: Harvard Club of New York City · The Union League of Philadelphia