Stanford vs Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) stand as two of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world, each offering a unique educational experience. Stanford, nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley, is renowned for its entrepreneurial spirit and strong ties to the tech industry. MIT, located in the vibrant city of Cambridge, is known for its exceptional programs in science, engineering, and technology. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in several key aspects, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Stanford University
Overview
Location	Cambridge, Massachusetts	Stanford, California
Campus setting	City: Midsize	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	4-1-4	Quarter
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	99.0%	98.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	4.1%	3.9%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $75 Graduate: $75	Undergraduate: $90 Graduate: $125
SAT range	N/A	1470 - 1570
ACT range	N/A	34 - 35
Students submitting SAT score		15.0%
Students submitting ACT score		11.0%
Total number of applicants	33,240	55,471
Total number of admissions given out	1,365	2,190
Admitted students who chose to enroll	1,177	1,757
Yield rate	86.2%	80.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Not required	Not required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$58,920	$78,898
Average net price	$30,958	$14,402
Tuition	$55,510	$55,473
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $11,550 Meal plan: $6,550	Room/dormitory: $11,166 Meal plan: $6,694
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $32,562	61.0% Average amount $56,211
Students receiving federal student loan	6.0% Average amount $5,112	5.0% Average amount $5,151
Students taking out private loans	1.0% Average amount $17,891	1.0% Average amount $17,186

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	4,638 Men 51.9% Women 48.1%	7,645 Men 49.4% Women 50.6%
Graduate students	7,296 Men 62.0% Women 38.0%	10,035 Men 56.5% Women 43.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	58.5%
International students	29.2%	24.4%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	6,280	14,621
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	California Texas New York Florida New Jersey	California Texas Washington New York Illinois

Academics
Popular study areas	Engineering Business Computer and Information Science Architecture Mathematics and Statistics	Engineering Computer and Information Science Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences Physical Science
Students to faculty ratio	3:1	5:1
Institutional accreditation	New England Commission on Higher Education	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	96.2%	95.5%
Dropout rate	3.0%	1.7%
Transferred out	N/A	0.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	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	Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $151,574 Year 2: $170,457 Year 3: $210,837 Computer Science (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $159,729 Year 2: $168,942 Year 3: $203,193 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $164,734 Year 2: $163,337 Year 3: $187,054 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $137,457 Year 2: $150,874 Year 3: $173,548 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $136,126 Year 2: $136,499 Year 3: $165,375 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $128,556 Year 2: $135,709 Year 3: $157,500 Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $123,354 Year 2: $106,421 Year 3: $139,234 Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $105,326 Year 2: $111,435 Year 3: $126,185 Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $108,457 Year 2: $90,856 Year 3: $107,477 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,475 Year 2: $85,391 Year 3: $104,592

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