Stanford vs. MIT vs. Caltech vs. UC Berkeley

Should I go to Stanford University or Massachusetts Institute of Technology? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Stanford or MIT 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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Stanford University vs. Massachusetts Institute of Technology vs. California Institute of Technology vs. University of California Berkeley comparison
Stanford University Massachusetts Institute of Technology California Institute of Technology University of California Berkeley
Stanford University Massachusetts Institute of Technology California Institute of Technology University of California Berkeley
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Overview

 Stanford MIT Caltech UC Berkeley
Location Stanford, CA Cambridge, MA Pasadena, CA Berkeley, CA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 18,446 11,920 2,463 45,699
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #2 #7 #6 #64
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website stanford.edu mit.edu caltech.edu berkeley.edu
Team Colors                                        

Costs

 Stanford MIT Caltech UC Berkeley
Tuition (In State) $61,731 $59,750 $60,816 $11,834
Tuition (Out of State) $61,731 $59,750 $60,816 $42,611
Room & Board $19,922 $19,390 $19,503 $22,692
Avg Net Price $17,998 $21,519 $23,397 $16,997
Avg Grant Aid $64,164 $58,331 $60,201 $25,951
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 58% 55% 50%

Admission

 Stanford MIT Caltech UC Berkeley
Applied 53,733 26,904 13,107 125,910
Admitted 2,099 1,274 412 14,677
Acceptance Rate 3.9% 4.7% 3.1% 112%
Enrolled % 80.9% 85.6% 64.6% 1,611.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.96 3.96 3.97 3.87
Typical High School Grades A- A- A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme Extreme Very High
ACT Range 34/35 34/36 35/36 30/35
SAT Range 1510/1580 1510/1580 1530/1580 1310/1530
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 2, 2026 Jan 1, 2026 Jan 3, 2026 Nov 30, 2025

Academics

 Stanford MIT Caltech UC Berkeley
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 3:1 3:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)
  • 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 (710%)
  • Biology (452%)
  • Engineering (356%)
  • English and Literature (188%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (178%)

Outcomes

 Stanford MIT Caltech UC Berkeley
Graduation Rate 96% 93% 87% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $122,900 $142,100 $85,800 $74,700
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 92% - 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,475 $17,316 $14,350 $14,200
Median Loan Payment $128 $179 $148 $146

Diversity

 Stanford MIT Caltech UC Berkeley
% Men 31% 37% 38% 14%
% Women 25% 25% 21% 13%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High Very High Very High
HBCU No No No No
% White 37% 37% 27% 27%
% Black 6% 6% 2% 2%
% Hispanic 15% 15% 12% 14%
% Native American 1% 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 10% 6% 5% 5%
% International 9% 10% 8% 14%
% Unknown Race 0% 2% 0% 3%

Students

 Stanford MIT Caltech UC Berkeley
% In-State 37% 8% 30% 79%
% Out-of-State 47% 81% 51% 10%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Stanford University is larger than than MIT based on total student enrollment (18,446 students vs. 11,920 students)

Stanford vs. MIT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Stanford or MIT?

  • 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)

Stanford vs. MIT Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • 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 Stanford students have at the same average high school GPA (3.96) as students at MIT (3.96)
  • MIT has a higher acceptance rate (4.7%) than Stanford (3.9%)

Stanford vs. MIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Stanford or MIT? 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 MIT and Stanford.

  • 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/