Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA · Private (nonprofit) · City
Admission figures
- Acceptance rate
- 4.5%
- SAT (middle 50%)
- 1520–1580
- ACT (middle 50%)
- 34–36
- Undergraduates
- 4,535
- In-state tuition
- $64,730
- Out-of-state tuition
- $64,730
- Graduation rate
- 96%
- Yield (admitted students who enrol)
- 85%
- 1,092 of 1,291 admitted students enrolled in 2023
Yield is not a quality score. It says how often admitted students pick this college over their other offers — useful for reading how it sits against its rivals, and nothing more. It is also the most gameable number in admissions: a binding Early Decision round turns admits into enrolments by contract, so colleges with large ED intakes post high yields largely by construction. Counts are IPEDS 2023, a different collection from the admission rate above, so the two may describe different years.
Majors at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
28 undergraduate programs, from the federal field-of-study data. Choosing one changes your estimate — a capacity-constrained program is admitted far more competitively than the school-wide rate suggests.
Create an account to pick a program and see how it changes your estimate.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology does not publish admission rates by major — almost no US university does, and the federal data has no such field. We apply a documented field-level adjustment instead and label it as modelled, rather than inventing a per-major rate.
What it would actually cost
Average net price after grants and scholarships, by family income.
| Family income | Net price / year |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | — |
| $30,000 – $48,000 | — |
| $48,000 – $75,000 | $4,283 |
| $75,000 – $110,000 | $8,020 |
| Over $110,000 | $50,747 |
- On a Pell grant
- 24%
- Median debt at graduation
- $14,000
- First-generation students
- 26%
Net price is what students actually paid after grants and scholarships — not loans. These are averages across everyone in the band, so your own offer will differ. Run the college's own net price calculator before ruling anywhere in or out.
Who studies here
Enrolled undergraduates, from federal reporting.
- Asian35%
- White21%
- Hispanic or Latino14%
- International students12%
- Black or African American8%
- Two or more races7%
- Not reported3%
- American Indian or Alaska Native0%
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander0%
This is context about the campus, not an input to your estimate. Since Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard (2023), US colleges may not consider an applicant's race — so your background does not move the number, and any tool that says otherwise is describing a practice that ended in 2023. How this is calculated.
Essays for 2026–27
Always confirm against the school's own page before you write.Massachusetts Institute of Technology does not use the Common App — it has its own application, so the essays below are the only ones that apply.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology supplemental essays
Verified 2026-08-06 · source ↗Essay · field of study
What field of study appeals to you the most right now? (Applicants select from a drop-down list.) Reflect on what has led you to this interest.
up to 200 wordsSign up to draft thisEssay · your own path
While some reach their goals following well-trodden paths, others blaze their own trails achieving the unexpected. In what ways have you done something different than what was expected in your educational journey?
up to 200 wordsSign up to draft thisEssay · problems you want to tackle
Reflect on how your personal and academic experiences have influenced the types of problems you would want to tackle with an MIT education, and who you would like to work on those problems with.
up to 200 wordsSign up to draft thisEssay · an unexpected challenge
How did you manage a situation or challenge that you didn't expect? What did you learn from it?
up to 200 wordsSign up to draft thisShort response
What do you do just for fun?
up to 50 wordsSign up to draft thisShort response
Who is someone you admire, whether you know them personally or look up to them from afar? Tell us why.
up to 50 wordsSign up to draft thisShort response
What's a topic, academic or non-academic, that you could talk about for hours?
up to 50 wordsSign up to draft thisShort response
MIT values both 'generalists' with varied interests and 'specialists' who focus deeply on one or a few passions. Which do you think best describes you, and why?
up to 50 wordsSign up to draft this
Your chances
See your own estimate for Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Add your GPA, test scores and activities once, and we'll estimate your chances here and at every other college — with the full breakdown of what moved the number.
Figures from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Northstar is not affiliated with or endorsed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Confirm all requirements and deadlines directly with the institution.