MIT vs. City College of New York

Should I go to Massachusetts Institute of Technology or CUNY City College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if MIT or City College of New York is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology vs. CUNY City College comparison
Massachusetts Institute of Technology CUNY City College College 3 College 4
Massachusetts Institute of Technology CUNY City College
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Overview

MIT City College of New York
Location Cambridge, MA New York, NY
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 11,920 15,012
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #7 #276
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mit.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MIT City College of New York
Tuition (In State) $59,750 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $59,750 $14,880
Room & Board $19,390 $18,104
Avg Net Price $21,519 $4,599
Avg Grant Aid $58,331 $9,236
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 86%

Admission

MIT City College of New York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 26,904 31,988
Admitted 1,274 18,576
Acceptance Rate 4.7% 58.1%
Enrolled % 85.6% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.96 3.2
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 34/36
SAT Range 1510/1580 1220/1460
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

MIT City College of New York
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Physical Sciences (10%)
  • Mathematics (8%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

MIT City College of New York
Graduation Rate 93% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $142,100 $49,800
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,316 $11,400
Median Loan Payment $179 $117

Diversity

MIT City College of New York
% Men 37% 7%
% Women 25% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 37% 15%
% Black 6% 16%
% Hispanic 15% 35%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 2%
% International 10% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

MIT City College of New York
% In-State 8% 87%
% Out-of-State 81% 0%

Campus

MIT City College of New York
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • CUNY City College is larger than than MIT based on total student enrollment (15,012 students vs. 11,920 students)

MIT vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MIT or City College of New York?

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology is 762.2% more expensive to attend than City College of New York for in-state tuition ($59,750.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 301.5% higher at MIT than CUNY City College ($59,750.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than MIT ($4,599 vs. $21,519)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY City College are 7.1% lower than costs at Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($18,104 vs. $19,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY City College than Massachusetts Institute of Technology (86% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Massachusetts Institute of Technology students is 531.6% larger than aid received CUNY City College ($58,331 vs. $9,236)

MIT vs. City College of New York Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MIT or City College of New York? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between City College of New York or MIT .

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1507) is 382 points higher than at City College of New York (1125)
  • Accepted freshman MIT students have a 0.76 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at City College of New York (3.2)
  • City College of New York has a higher acceptance rate (58.1%) than MIT (4.7%)

MIT vs. City College of New York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MIT or City College of New York? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between City College of New York and MIT.

  • The graduation rate at MIT is higher than CUNY City College (93% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Massachusetts Institute of Technology earn on average $92,300 more per year than City College of New York graduates after ten years. ($142,100 vs. $49,800)
  • CUNY City College students graduate with a $5,916 lower median federal student loan debt than MIT graduates. ($11,400 vs. $17,316)
  • City College of New York graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than MIT graduates. ($117 vs. $179)
  • More MIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 52%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/