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Harvard Caltech UC Berkeley UCLA Duke USC Yale Princeton Pomona UChicago Northwestern Vanderbilt| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Stanford University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
MIT | Stanford | ||
| Location | Cambridge, MA | Stanford, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 11,920 | 18,446 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #7 | #2 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | mit.edu | stanford.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
MIT | Stanford | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $59,750 | $61,731 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $59,750 | $61,731 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,390 | $19,922 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $21,519 | $17,998 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $58,331 | $64,164 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 58% | 55% |
Admission |
MIT | Stanford | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 26,904 | 53,733 | ||
| Admitted | 1,274 | 2,099 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 4.7% | 3.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 85.6% | 80.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.96 | 3.96 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 34/36 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1510/1580 | 1510/1580 | ||
| 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 2, 2026 |
Academics |
MIT | Stanford | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 6:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
MIT | Stanford | ||
| Graduation Rate | 93% | 96% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $142,100 | $122,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 92% | 88% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,316 | $12,475 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $179 | $128 |
Diversity |
MIT | Stanford | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 37% | 31% | ||
| % Women | 25% | 25% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 37% | 37% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 15% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 10% | ||
| % International | 10% | 9% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 0% |
Students |
MIT | Stanford | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 8% | 37% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 81% | 47% | ||
Campus |
MIT | Stanford | ||
| 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
- Stanford University is larger than than MIT based on total student enrollment (18,446 students vs. 11,920 students)
MIT vs. Stanford Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, MIT or Stanford?
- Stanford University is 3.3% more expensive to attend than MIT for in-state tuition ($61,731.00 vs. $59,750.00)
- Out of state tuition is 3.3% higher at Stanford than Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($61,731.00 vs. $59,750.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Stanford University than MIT ($17,998 vs. $21,519)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology are 2.7% lower than costs at Stanford University ($19,390 vs. $19,922)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than Stanford University (58% vs. 55%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Stanford University students is 10% larger than aid received Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($64,164 vs. $58,331)
MIT vs. Stanford Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, MIT or Stanford? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Stanford or MIT .
- The average SAT score at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1507) is 28 points higher than at Stanford (1479)
- Incoming MIT students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Stanford (33)
- Accepted freshman MIT students have at the same average high school GPA (3.96) as students at Stanford (3.96)
- MIT has a higher acceptance rate (4.7%) than Stanford (3.9%)
MIT vs. Stanford Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, MIT or Stanford? 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 Stanford and MIT.
- The graduation rate at Stanford is higher than Massachusetts Institute of Technology (96% vs. 93%)
- Graduates from Massachusetts Institute of Technology earn on average $19,200 more per year than Stanford graduates after ten years. ($142,100 vs. $122,900)
- Stanford University students graduate with a $4,841 lower median federal student loan debt than MIT graduates. ($12,475 vs. $17,316)
- Stanford graduates are paying $51 less per month on federal student loans than MIT graduates. ($128 vs. $179)
- More MIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Stanford students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 88%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/