Yale vs. MIT

Deciding between Yale University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Yale University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Yale New Haven, CT
  • MIT Cambridge, MA
  • Setting
  • Yale Midsize City
  • MIT Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Yale 15,564
  • MIT 11,886
  • Type
  • Yale Private 4 Year
  • MIT Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Yale #5
  • MIT #8
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Yale -
  • MIT -
  • Status
  • Yale Non-profit
  • MIT Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Yale
  • MIT

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Yale $67,250
  • MIT $62,396
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Yale $67,250
  • MIT $62,396
  • Room & Board
  • Yale $19,900
  • MIT $20,280
  • Average Net Price
  • Yale $22,408
  • MIT $20,996
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Yale $65,892
  • MIT $61,734
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Yale 56%
  • MIT 59%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Yale 57,517
  • MIT 28,232
  • Admitted
  • Yale 2,227
  • MIT 1,284
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Yale 3.9%
  • MIT 4.5%
  • Enrolled
  • Yale 69.8%
  • MIT 85.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Yale 1520
  • MIT 1550
  • Typical ACT score
  • Yale 34
  • MIT 35
  • Average High School GPA
  • Yale 3.95
  • MIT 3.96
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Yale A
  • MIT A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Yale Elite
  • MIT Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Yale Extreme
  • MIT Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • Yale 33/35
  • MIT 34/36
  • SAT Range
  • Yale 1470/1570
  • MIT 1520/1580
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Yale Required
  • MIT Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Yale Jan 2, 2027
  • MIT Jan 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Yale 5:1
  • MIT 3:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Yale
    • Social Sciences (27%)
    • History (9%)
    • General Studies (8%)
    • Biology (7%)
    • Ethnic Studies (7%)
  • MIT
    • Engineering (41%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
    • Physical Sciences (10%)
    • Mathematics (8%)
    • Biology (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Yale 97%
  • MIT 93%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Yale $118,400
  • MIT $142,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Yale 84%
  • MIT 92%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Yale $13,500
  • MIT $17,316
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Yale $139
  • MIT $179

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Yale 47%
  • MIT 56%
  • % Women
  • Yale 53%
  • MIT 44%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Yale Very High
  • MIT Very High
  • HBCU
  • Yale No
  • MIT No
  • % White
  • Yale 47%
  • MIT 37%
  • % Asian
  • Yale 17%
  • MIT 25%
  • % Black
  • Yale 7%
  • MIT 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Yale 11%
  • MIT 15%
  • % Native American
  • Yale 1%
  • MIT 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Yale 0%
  • MIT 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Yale 6%
  • MIT 6%
  • % International
  • Yale 11%
  • MIT 10%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Yale 1%
  • MIT 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Yale 6%
  • MIT 8%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Yale 81%
  • MIT 80%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Yale Yes
  • MIT Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Yale Yes
  • MIT No
  • Meal Plan
  • Yale Yes
  • MIT Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Yale No
  • MIT No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Yale Yes
  • MIT Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Yale University in New Haven, CT with Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Yale University is larger than MIT based on total student enrollment (15,564 students vs. 11,886 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Yale University is located in New Haven, CT (Midsize City setting); Massachusetts Institute of Technology is in Cambridge, MA (Midsize City setting).
  • Yale University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Yale University 5:1; Massachusetts Institute of Technology 3:1.

Yale vs. MIT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Yale or MIT? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than Yale ($20,996 vs. $22,408).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Yale University are 1.9% lower than at Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($19,900 vs. $20,280).
  • Yale University is 7.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than MIT (about $4,854 more per year; $67,250.00 vs. $62,396.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 7.8% higher at Yale than at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (about $4,854 more per year; $67,250.00 vs. $62,396.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at Yale University (59% vs. 56%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Yale University students is 6.7% larger than aid received by Massachusetts Institute of Technology students ($65,892 vs. $61,734).

Yale vs. MIT Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Yale or MIT? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between MIT and Yale.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1550) is 30 points higher than at Yale (1520).
  • Incoming MIT students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (35 vs. 34 at Yale).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Yale University 1470/1570; Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1520/1580.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Yale University 33/35; Massachusetts Institute of Technology 34/36.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Yale - Required; MIT - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Yale Jan 2, 2027; MIT Jan 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman MIT students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Yale (3.95).
  • MIT has a higher acceptance rate (4.5%) than Yale (3.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 69.8% at Yale vs. 85.8% at MIT.

Yale vs. MIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Yale and MIT? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Yale University's six-year graduation rate (97%) is higher than Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (93%).
  • Graduates from Massachusetts Institute of Technology earn a median of about $23,700 more per year than Yale graduates about ten years after starting college ($142,100 vs. $118,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Yale University graduates have a $3,816 lower median loan debt than MIT graduates ($13,500 vs. $17,316).
  • Among borrowers, Yale graduates have an estimated $40 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than MIT graduates ($139 vs. $179).
  • More MIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Yale students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 84%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.