UMass vs. MIT

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

 UMass MIT
Location Amherst, MA Cambridge, MA
Setting Town Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 31,810 11,920
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #176 #7
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umass.edu mit.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMass MIT
Tuition (In State) $16,591 $59,750
Tuition (Out of State) $38,527 $59,750
Room & Board $14,869 $19,390
Avg Net Price $22,954 $21,519
Avg Grant Aid $12,343 $58,331
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 58%

Admission

 UMass MIT
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,424 26,904
Admitted 29,129 1,274
Acceptance Rate 57.8% 4.7%
Enrolled % 18.1% 85.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.99 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 29/33 34/36
SAT Range 1300/1480 1510/1580
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

 UMass MIT
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 3:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Physical Sciences (10%)
  • Mathematics (8%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

 UMass MIT
Graduation Rate 67% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,200 $142,100
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $17,316
Median Loan Payment $248 $179

Diversity

 UMass MIT
% Men 12% 37%
% Women 12% 25%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 37%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 4% 10%
% Unknown Race 8% 2%

Students

 UMass MIT
% In-State 67% 8%
% Out-of-State 23% 81%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is larger than than MIT based on total student enrollment (31,810 students vs. 11,920 students)

UMass vs. MIT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMass or MIT?

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology is 260.1% more expensive to attend than UMass for in-state tuition ($59,750.00 vs. $16,591.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 55.1% higher at MIT than University of Massachusetts Amherst ($59,750.00 vs. $38,527.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than UMass ($21,519 vs. $22,954)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Amherst are 30.4% lower than costs at Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($14,869 vs. $19,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Amherst than Massachusetts Institute of Technology (75% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Massachusetts Institute of Technology students is 372.6% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Amherst ($58,331 vs. $12,343)

UMass vs. MIT Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1507) is 281 points higher than at UMass (1226)
  • Incoming MIT students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at UMass (28)
  • Accepted freshman UMass students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at MIT (3.96)
  • UMass has a higher acceptance rate (57.8%) than MIT (4.7%)

UMass vs. MIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MIT is higher than University of Massachusetts Amherst (93% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Massachusetts Institute of Technology earn on average $86,900 more per year than UMass graduates after ten years. ($142,100 vs. $55,200)
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology students graduate with a $6,684 lower median federal student loan debt than UMass graduates. ($17,316 vs. $24,000)
  • MIT graduates are paying $69 less per month on federal student loans than UMass graduates. ($179 vs. $248)
  • More MIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMass students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 76%)

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