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Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT

Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139-4301

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Data last updated: May 29, 2026

Campus Vibe

STEM-heavyUrbanGreek life

Among the most selective in the Northeast — top graduate earnings

Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private institution in Cambridge with particular strength in engineering and computer science. With an average SAT of 1553, the school attracts a competitive applicant pool.

A mid-sized campus of 4.6K undergraduates with a 3:1 student-faculty ratio. The urban location puts students at the center of city life.

96% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $143,372 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $19,813.

Established
1861
Motto
Mens et Manus
Mascot
Tim the Beaver
Type
Private research university
Division
Division III

Campus Visits

190 upcoming visits · Next: Mon, Jun 1 · Campus Tour

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Admission Office

77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 3-108, Cambridge, MA 02139

(617) 253-3400[email protected]
5%Acceptance
1553SAT Avg
4,571Students
3:1Student:Faculty
96%Grad Rate
$143,372Earnings 10yr
$19,813Net Price

Admissions

Acceptance Rate4.7%

SAT Score Ranges

Average: 1553

Reading & Writing
730780
Math
780800

ACT Score Range

Composite
3436

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard / IPEDS.

Admissions

Test-RequiredNo Demonstrated InterestHolistic ReviewOn-Campus Interviews

Application Platforms

MIT ApplicationCoalition

Early Action

November 1

Decision by mid-December

Regular Decision

January 1

Decision by Pi Day (March 14)

Reply by May 1

SAT or ACT with writing required. SAT Subject Tests no longer required but recommended for some applicants.

MIT-specific essays and short answer questions required, including describing a significant maker experience.

Financial Aid

Need-Blind Meets 100% Need No-Loan PolicyNeed-Based Only
Students receiving aid
60%

Financial aid packages include only grants and student employment—no loans required.

Need-blind for all applicants: U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and international students.

Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition$60,156
Room & Board$19,390
Books & Supplies$880
Total Cost of Attendance$79,850
Average Net Price$19,813
Median Debt at Graduation$14,768
Monthly Payment (10yr)$157

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K-$4,129
$30–48K-$2,483
$48–75K$4,621
$75–110K$13,696
$110K+$46,627

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Net price reflects most recent cohort of federally-aided undergraduates.

Debt & Aid Detail

Net Price Trend

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

93.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

3.8%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$12,462

Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

35

Peer Average

37

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

Campus police, emergency alert system, blue-light phones

Incident Breakdown (2024)

9

Burglary

2

Aggravated Assault

1

Robbery

3

Motor Vehicle Theft

4

Sex Offenses

0

Arson

9

Drug Arrests

7

Liquor Arrests

Source: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety & Security data (Clery Act, 2024 reporting year).

Academics

Core/Distribution Requirements4-1-4 (Two semesters plus Independent Activities Period in January)Phi Beta Kappa
Majors
30
Avg class size
30
Student-faculty ratio
3:1
Study abroad
11%

Research: World-leading research across all fields; students work alongside faculty on groundbreaking discoveries.

View all 19 majors
Aeronautics and AstronauticsBiologyBrain and Cognitive SciencesChemical EngineeringChemistryCivil and Environmental EngineeringComputer Science and EngineeringEarth, Atmospheric and Planetary SciencesEconomicsElectrical Engineering and Computer ScienceMathematicsMechanical EngineeringNuclear Science and EngineeringPhysicsArchitectureUrban Studies and PlanningLinguistics and PhilosophyPolitical ScienceManagement (Sloan)

Programs (107)

Student Life

Student Satisfaction

Retention Rate

99%

Very Positive

Campus Life

Campus size
168 acres
Organizations
500+
Varsity teams
33
NCAA Division IIINew England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC)Greek Life

More NCAA Division III teams than any other university.

Housing & Residential Life

4-Year Housing Guarantee
On campus
96%

Housing Styles

Residence hallsFraternities/SororitiesIndependent Living Groups

Dining

Multiple dining halls across campusSimmons Hall DiningNext House DiningMaseeh Hall DiningBaker House DiningDietary Options

Student Body

Undergrads
4,571
Gender Split
49% / 51%
Women / Men
First Generation
26%
Pell Grant Recipients
19%

Race & Ethnicity

White 21%
Black 9%
Hispanic 15%
Asian 35%
Two+ 7%
Int'l 11%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate96.1%
Freshman Retention99.0%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$131,633
10 Years$143,372

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings reflect federally-aided students 6 and 10 years after entry.

After Graduation

Employed within 6 months
95%

Top Employers

GoogleMicrosoftAmazonAppleSpaceXTeslaMcKinsey & CompanyBoston Consulting Group

Top Graduate Schools

MITStanford UniversityHarvard UniversityUC BerkeleyCaltechPrinceton University

Top Industries

TechnologyEngineeringFinanceConsultingResearch & AcademiaEntrepreneurship

Notable Alumni

Buzz Aldrin

Apollo 11 astronaut, second person to walk on the Moon

Kofi Annan

Former UN Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Prize laureate

Ben Bernanke

Former Chairman of the Federal Reserve

I.M. Pei

Pritzker Prize-winning architect

Richard Feynman

Nobel Prize-winning physicist

Jonah Peretti

Co-founder of BuzzFeed and The Huffington Post

Drew Houston

Co-founder and CEO of Dropbox

Rankings

U.S. News
#2
vs 2024
Forbes
#1
vs 2024
Washington Monthly
#10
vs 2024

More About This School

Varsity Sports — Engineers

And menCrewWater poloCrew competesAnd women

History & Fun Facts

  • A charter for the incorporation of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, proposed by William Barton Rogers, was signed by John Albion Andrew, the governor of Massachusetts, on April 10, 1861.
  • Early developments Original Rogers Building in Back Bay, Boston, 1872 Two days after MIT was chartered, the first battle of the Civil War broke out.
  • After a long delay through the war years, MIT's first classes were held in the Mercantile Building in Boston in 1865.
  • In 1866, the proceeds from land sales went toward new buildings in the Back Bay.

Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

143Very High

Estimated from MA state average + city premium

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 60"Sunny days: 200Rainy days: 125

Nearest Cities

Bostonpop. 675K
2 mi(3 min)
New Yorkpop. 8.3M
189 mi(328 min)
Philadelphiapop. 1.6M
269 mi(466 min)

Getting There

Nearest Airports

BOS Boston Logan4 mi
MHT Manchester-Boston43 mi
PVD Providence TF Green47 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA2 mi · ~3 min drive
New York, NY189 mi · ~5h 28m drive
Hartford, CT91 mi · ~2h 38m drive
Providence, RI40 mi · ~1h 9m drive
Albany, NY137 mi · ~3h 57m drive
Syracuse, NY261 mi · ~7h 32m drive
Rochester, NY335 mi · ~9h 41m drive
Buffalo, NY397 mi · ~11h 28m drive
Philadelphia, PA269 mi · ~7h 46m drive
Pittsburgh, PA480 mi · ~13h 52m drive
Harrisburg, PA333 mi · ~9h 37m drive
Newark, NJ195 mi · ~5h 38m drive
Trenton, NJ240 mi · ~6h 56m drive
Central (cold winters, warm summers)

Getting Around

Amtrak

South Station (15 minutes by T) and North Station (20 minutes by T).

Walkability

Urban campus along the Charles River in Cambridge; highly walkable and bikeable.

Nearby Attractions

Charles Riverwalkable

Scenic riverfront with walking/biking paths and sailing opportunities.

Harvard Squarewalkable

Historic area with shops, restaurants, bookstores, and street performers.

MIT Museumwalkable

Exhibits on MIT innovation, robotics, holography, and science.

Kendall Squarewalkable

Innovation hub dubbed 'the most innovative square mile on the planet'.

Boston

Downtown Boston accessible via Red Line T; museums, sports, dining.

Transfer Admission

Fall Transfer

March 15

International Students

Need-Blind Meets 100% Need
International students
10%

English Proficiency Requirements

TOEFL iBT90
IELTS Academic7.0
Duolingo English Test125

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Application Checklist

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