Lawrence University vs Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Lawrence University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) stand as two distinct beacons of higher education, each offering a unique path to academic excellence. Lawrence, a liberal arts college nestled in Appleton, Wisconsin, prides itself on its small class sizes, personalized attention, and strong emphasis on undergraduate research. MIT, a world-renowned research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is celebrated for its rigorous academics, cutting-edge research facilities, and vibrant entrepreneurial culture. While both institutions share a commitment to academic rigor and student success, they differ significantly in terms of acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which institution better aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Lawrence University logo

Lawrence University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology logo

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Overview

Location Appleton, Wisconsin Cambridge, Massachusetts
Campus setting City: Small City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Trimester 4-1-4
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 89.0% 99.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 75.0% 4.1%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $75
SAT range 1230 - 1460 N/A
ACT range 27 - 32 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 24.0%
Students submitting ACT score 37.0%
Total number of applicants 2,907 33,240
Total number of admissions given out 2,179 1,365
Admitted students who chose to enroll 402 1,177
Yield rate 18.4% 86.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $65,445 $58,920
Average net price $24,804 $30,958
Tuition $52,101 $55,510
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,814

Meal plan: $5,370
Room/dormitory: $11,550

Meal plan: $6,550
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $39,841
100.0%
Average amount $32,562
Students receiving federal student loan 57.0%
Average amount $5,053
6.0%
Average amount $5,112
Students taking out private loans 6.0%
Average amount $16,464
1.0%
Average amount $17,891

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,483
Men 45.8% Women 54.2%
4,638
Men 51.9% Women 48.1%
Graduate students N/A 7,296
Men 62.0% Women 38.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 73.1% N/A
International students 12.3% 29.2%
Campus local/setting City: Small City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 1,460 6,280
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Wisconsin Illinois Minnesota Texas California California Texas New York Florida New Jersey

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Social Sciences
  • History
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Architecture
  • Mathematics and Statistics
Students to faculty ratio 8:1 3:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 80.5% 96.2%
Dropout rate 19.0% 3.0%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $54,035
  • Year 3: $51,421
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $28,019
  • Year 3: $35,410
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $22,329
  • Year 3: $32,588
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $22,667
  • Year 3: $31,648
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $29,685
  • Year 3: $27,840
Music (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: $27,395
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $24,417
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $20,533
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $28,960
  • Year 3: N/A
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $23,113
  • Year 3: N/A
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $144,716
  • Year 2: $150,045
  • Year 3: $183,153
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $170,089
  • Year 2: $165,236
  • Year 3: $182,183
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $118,191
  • Year 2: $127,993
  • Year 3: $163,496
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $82,796
  • Year 2: $117,572
  • Year 3: $155,540
Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $133,685
  • Year 2: $137,214
  • Year 3: $155,079
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $104,229
  • Year 2: $121,226
  • Year 3: $139,548
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $141,603
  • Year 2: $126,504
  • Year 3: $132,987
Mechanical Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $112,885
  • Year 3: $124,425
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $135,266
  • Year 2: $111,435
  • Year 3: $112,404
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $109,955
  • Year 2: $104,749
  • Year 3: $109,672

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