Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) vs California Institute of Technology

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and California Institute of Technology (Caltech) stand as two of the most prestigious and selective universities in the world, renowned for their exceptional academic programs and groundbreaking research. While both institutions share a commitment to excellence, they offer distinct experiences and opportunities to their students. MIT, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, boasts a vibrant and diverse student body, with a slightly higher acceptance rate compared to Caltech. It is particularly known for its strength in engineering, computer science, and economics, attracting students with a passion for innovation and technological advancement. Caltech, situated in Pasadena, California, is known for its rigorous academic environment and a strong emphasis on fundamental science and engineering. With a smaller student body and a lower acceptance rate, Caltech fosters a close-knit community where students engage in cutting-edge research alongside world-renowned faculty. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve into the specific differences between these two extraordinary institutions, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics,

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

Admission
Acceptance rate	3.9%	4.1%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $75 Graduate: $100	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	13,026	33,240
Total number of admissions given out	510	1,365
Admitted students who chose to enroll	270	1,177
Yield rate	52.9%	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	$82,122	$58,920
Average net price	$30,162	$30,958
Tuition	$56,364	$55,510
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $10,398 Meal plan: $7,350	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 $47,556	100.0% Average amount $32,562
Students receiving federal student loan	5.0% Average amount $5,333	6.0% Average amount $5,112
Students taking out private loans	15.0% Average amount $4,732	1.0% Average amount $17,891

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	987 Men 55.3% Women 44.7%	4,638 Men 51.9% Women 48.1%
Graduate students	1,410 Men 66.7% Women 33.3%	7,296 Men 62.0% Women 38.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	92.2%	N/A
International students	29.4%	29.2%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	1,572	6,280
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	California Texas Georgia Maryland Florida	California Texas New York Florida New Jersey

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

Outcome
Graduation rate	92.9%	96.2%
Dropout rate	4.6%	3.0%
Transferred out	1.7%	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $155,297 Year 3: N/A Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $129,693 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $83,177 Year 3: N/A Chemistry (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $59,996 Year 2: $89,875 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

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) vs California Institute of Technology

California Institute of Technology

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

Compare Similar Colleges

Find Colleges By State

Resources

About