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Stanford Yale Johns Hopkins Princeton Duke Columbia Brown Penn UChicago Williams NYU Notre Dame| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Harvard University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
MIT | Harvard | ||
| Location | Cambridge, MA | Cambridge, MA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 11,920 | 30,386 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #7 | #4 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | mit.edu | harvard.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
MIT | Harvard | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $59,750 | $54,269 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $59,750 | $54,269 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,390 | $20,374 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $21,519 | $17,900 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $58,331 | $64,942 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 58% | 57% |
Admission |
MIT | Harvard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 26,904 | 56,937 | ||
| Admitted | 1,274 | 1,965 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 4.7% | 3.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 85.6% | 83.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.96 | 4.0 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A/A+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 34/36 | 34/36 | ||
| SAT Range | 1510/1580 | 1500/1580 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Required to be considered for admission | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 1, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
MIT | Harvard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 7:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
MIT | Harvard | ||
| Graduation Rate | 93% | 97% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $142,100 | $136,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 92% | 70% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,316 | $6,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $179 | $67 |
Diversity |
MIT | Harvard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 37% | 32% | ||
| % Women | 25% | 38% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 37% | 44% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 15% | 10% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 6% | ||
| % International | 10% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% |
Students |
MIT | Harvard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 8% | 15% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 81% | 70% | ||
Campus |
MIT | Harvard | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Harvard University is larger than than MIT based on total student enrollment (30,386 students vs. 11,920 students)
MIT vs. Harvard Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, MIT or Harvard?
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology is 10.1% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($59,750.00 vs. $54,269.00)
- Out of state tuition is 10.1% higher at MIT than Harvard University ($59,750.00 vs. $54,269.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than MIT ($17,900 vs. $21,519)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology are 5.1% lower than costs at Harvard University ($19,390 vs. $20,374)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than Harvard University (58% vs. 57%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 11.3% larger than aid received Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($64,942 vs. $58,331)
MIT vs. Harvard Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, MIT or Harvard? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Harvard or MIT .
- The average SAT score at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1507) is 10 points higher than at Harvard (1497)
- Incoming MIT students have at the same average ACT score (34) as students at Harvard (34)
- Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at MIT (3.96)
- MIT has a higher acceptance rate (4.7%) than Harvard (3.5%)
MIT vs. Harvard Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, MIT or Harvard? 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 Harvard and MIT.
- The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Massachusetts Institute of Technology (97% vs. 93%)
- Graduates from Massachusetts Institute of Technology earn on average $5,400 more per year than Harvard graduates after ten years. ($142,100 vs. $136,700)
- Harvard University students graduate with a $10,816 lower median federal student loan debt than MIT graduates. ($6,500 vs. $17,316)
- Harvard graduates are paying $112 less per month on federal student loans than MIT graduates. ($67 vs. $179)
- More MIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 70%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/