MIT vs. Vanderbilt

Should I go to Massachusetts Institute of Technology or Vanderbilt University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if MIT or Vanderbilt 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. Vanderbilt University comparison
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Vanderbilt University College 3 College 4
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Vanderbilt University
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Overview

MIT Vanderbilt
Location Cambridge, MA Nashville, TN
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 11,920 13,456
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #7 #14
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mit.edu vanderbilt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MIT Vanderbilt
Tuition (In State) $59,750 $61,618
Tuition (Out of State) $59,750 $61,618
Room & Board $19,390 $21,054
Avg Net Price $21,519 $26,689
Avg Grant Aid $58,331 $57,723
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 66%

Admission

MIT Vanderbilt
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 26,904 45,313
Admitted 1,274 2,844
Acceptance Rate 4.7% 6.3%
Enrolled % 85.6% 57%
Avg High School GPA 3.96 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/36 34/35
SAT Range 1510/1580 1510/1560
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

MIT Vanderbilt
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Physical Sciences (10%)
  • Mathematics (8%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

MIT Vanderbilt
Graduation Rate 93% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $142,100 $83,100
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,316 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $179 $144

Diversity

MIT Vanderbilt
% Men 37% 19%
% Women 25% 28%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 37% 55%
% Black 6% 8%
% Hispanic 15% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 5%
% International 10% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

MIT Vanderbilt
% In-State 8% 13%
% Out-of-State 81% 75%

Campus

MIT Vanderbilt
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Vanderbilt University is larger than than MIT based on total student enrollment (13,456 students vs. 11,920 students)

MIT vs. Vanderbilt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MIT or Vanderbilt?

  • Vanderbilt University is 3.1% more expensive to attend than MIT for in-state tuition ($61,618.00 vs. $59,750.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.1% higher at Vanderbilt than Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($61,618.00 vs. $59,750.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than Vanderbilt ($21,519 vs. $26,689)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology are 8.6% lower than costs at Vanderbilt University ($19,390 vs. $21,054)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Vanderbilt University than Massachusetts Institute of Technology (66% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Massachusetts Institute of Technology students is 1.1% larger than aid received Vanderbilt University ($58,331 vs. $57,723)

MIT vs. Vanderbilt Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1507) is 9 points higher than at Vanderbilt (1498)
  • Incoming MIT students have at the same average ACT score (34) as students at Vanderbilt (34)
  • Accepted freshman MIT students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Vanderbilt (3.89)
  • Vanderbilt has a higher acceptance rate (6.3%) than MIT (4.7%)

MIT vs. Vanderbilt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MIT or Vanderbilt? 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 Vanderbilt and MIT.

  • The graduation rate at MIT is higher than Vanderbilt University (93% vs. 92%)
  • Graduates from Massachusetts Institute of Technology earn on average $59,000 more per year than Vanderbilt graduates after ten years. ($142,100 vs. $83,100)
  • Vanderbilt University students graduate with a $3,316 lower median federal student loan debt than MIT graduates. ($14,000 vs. $17,316)
  • Vanderbilt graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than MIT graduates. ($144 vs. $179)
  • More MIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Vanderbilt students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 83%)

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