MIT vs. Caltech vs. Stanford

Should I go to Massachusetts Institute of Technology or California Institute of Technology? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if MIT or Caltech is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology vs. California Institute of Technology vs. Stanford University comparison
Massachusetts Institute of Technology California Institute of Technology Stanford University College 4
Massachusetts Institute of Technology California Institute of Technology Stanford University
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Overview

MIT Caltech Stanford
Location Cambridge, MA Pasadena, CA Stanford, CA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 11,920 2,463 18,446
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #7 #6 #2
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website mit.edu caltech.edu stanford.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

MIT Caltech Stanford
Tuition (In State) $59,750 $60,816 $61,731
Tuition (Out of State) $59,750 $60,816 $61,731
Room & Board $19,390 $19,503 $19,922
Avg Net Price $21,519 $23,397 $17,998
Avg Grant Aid $58,331 $60,201 $64,164
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 55% 55%

Admission

MIT Caltech Stanford
Applied 26,904 13,107 53,733
Admitted 1,274 412 2,099
Acceptance Rate 4.7% 3.1% 3.9%
Enrolled % 85.6% 64.6% 80.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.96 3.97 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/36 35/36 34/35
SAT Range 1510/1580 1530/1580 1510/1580
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2026 Jan 3, 2026 Jan 2, 2026

Academics

MIT Caltech Stanford
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 3:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Physical Sciences (10%)
  • Mathematics (8%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

MIT Caltech Stanford
Graduation Rate 93% 87% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $142,100 $85,800 $122,900
Making Student Loan Payments 92% - 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,316 $14,350 $12,475
Median Loan Payment $179 $148 $128

Diversity

MIT Caltech Stanford
% Men 37% 38% 31%
% Women 25% 21% 25%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High Very High
HBCU No No No
% White 37% 27% 37%
% Black 6% 2% 6%
% Hispanic 15% 12% 15%
% Native American 0% 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 5% 10%
% International 10% 8% 9%
% Unknown Race 2% 0% 0%

Students

MIT Caltech Stanford
% In-State 8% 30% 37%
% Out-of-State 81% 51% 47%

Campus

MIT Caltech Stanford
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (11,920 students vs. 2,463 students)

MIT vs. Caltech Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MIT or Caltech?

  • California Institute of Technology is 1.8% more expensive to attend than MIT for in-state tuition ($60,816.00 vs. $59,750.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.8% higher at Caltech than Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($60,816.00 vs. $59,750.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than Caltech ($21,519 vs. $23,397)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology are 0.6% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($19,390 vs. $19,503)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than California Institute of Technology (58% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 3.2% larger than aid received Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($60,201 vs. $58,331)

MIT vs. Caltech Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MIT or Caltech? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Caltech or MIT .

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 37 points higher than at MIT (1507)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at MIT (34)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at MIT (3.96)
  • MIT has a higher acceptance rate (4.7%) than Caltech (3.1%)

MIT vs. Caltech Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MIT or Caltech? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Caltech and MIT.

  • The graduation rate at MIT is higher than California Institute of Technology (93% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Massachusetts Institute of Technology earn on average $56,300 more per year than Caltech graduates after ten years. ($142,100 vs. $85,800)
  • California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $2,966 lower median federal student loan debt than MIT graduates. ($14,350 vs. $17,316)
  • Caltech graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than MIT graduates. ($148 vs. $179)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/