Bowdoin College vs Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Bowdoin College and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) stand as two prominent institutions of higher learning, each offering a distinct educational experience. Bowdoin, a liberal arts college nestled in Brunswick, Maine, boasts a tight-knit community and a focus on undergraduate teaching. MIT, a world-renowned research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is celebrated for its exceptional STEM programs and cutting-edge research opportunities. While both institutions share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in several key aspects, including 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.
Bowdoin College logo

Bowdoin College

Massachusetts Institute of Technology logo

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Overview

Location Brunswick, Maine Cambridge, Massachusetts
Campus setting Town: Fringe City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester 4-1-4
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 97.0% 99.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 8.8% 4.1%
Application fees $65
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $75
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 9,325 33,240
Total number of admissions given out 822 1,365
Admitted students who chose to enroll 517 1,177
Yield rate 62.9% 86.2%
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) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $76,310 $58,920
Average net price $26,727 $30,958
Tuition $57,776 $55,510
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,630

Meal plan: $8,268
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)

54.0%
Average amount $45,153
100.0%
Average amount $32,562
Students receiving federal student loan 11.0%
Average amount $4,767
6.0%
Average amount $5,112
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $20,700
1.0%
Average amount $17,891

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,951
Men 49.4% Women 50.6%
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 91.5% N/A
International students 7.1% 29.2%
Campus local/setting Town: Fringe City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 1,913 6,280
First year students are required to live on campus? Yes No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New York California Maine Connecticut New Jersey California Texas New York Florida New Jersey

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Social Sciences
  • Ethnic Studies
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Architecture
  • Mathematics and Statistics
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 3:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 93.8% 96.2%
Dropout rate 2.2% 3.0%
Transferred out 4.0% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $104,192
  • Year 3: $122,292
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $67,101
  • Year 3: $83,803
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,127
  • Year 2: $71,015
  • Year 3: $77,719
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,934
  • Year 2: $50,231
  • Year 3: $60,473
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: N/A
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,244
  • Year 2: $42,123
  • Year 3: N/A
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $32,925
  • Year 3: N/A
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $22,771
  • Year 3: N/A
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,658
  • Year 2: $39,009
  • Year 3: N/A
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,454
  • Year 2: N/A
  • 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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