Wesleyan University vs Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Wesleyan University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) stand as two distinct beacons of higher education, each offering a unique path to academic excellence. Wesleyan, a liberal arts college nestled in Middletown, Connecticut, boasts a tight-knit community and a curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking and interdisciplinary exploration. MIT, on the other hand, is a world-renowned research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, celebrated for its rigorous STEM programs and groundbreaking innovations. While both institutions share a commitment to academic rigor and personal growth, they differ significantly in terms of acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Delve into the comparison table below to discover which university better aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology logo

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Wesleyan University logo

Wesleyan University

Overview

Location Cambridge, Massachusetts Middletown, Connecticut
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system 4-1-4 Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 99.0% 95.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 4.1% 19.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $75
$55
SAT range N/A 1300 - 1510
ACT range N/A 31 - 34
Students submitting SAT score 51.0%
Students submitting ACT score 27.0%
Total number of applicants 33,240 13,067
Total number of admissions given out 1,365 2,540
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,177 910
Yield rate 86.2% 35.8%
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 Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $58,920 $82,245
Average net price $30,958 $20,535
Tuition $55,510 $61,449
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $11,550

Meal plan: $6,550
$17,531
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $32,562
40.0%
Average amount $58,925
Students receiving federal student loan 6.0%
Average amount $5,112
18.0%
Average amount $3,834
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $17,891
2.0%
Average amount $27,881

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 4,638
Men 51.9% Women 48.1%
3,385
Men 43.8% Women 56.2%
Graduate students 7,296
Men 62.0% Women 38.0%
196
Men 42.3% Women 57.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 90.3%
International students 29.2% 11.3%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Small
Dormitory capacity 6,280 3,063
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 New York California Connecticut New Jersey Pennsylvania

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Architecture
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Social Sciences
  • Psychology
  • Ethnic Studies
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Physical Science
Students to faculty ratio 3:1 8:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 96.2% 91.0%
Dropout rate 3.0% 3.6%
Transferred out N/A 5.3%
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
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $53,775
  • Year 3: $53,847
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,232
  • Year 2: $36,334
  • Year 3: $45,541

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