Cambridge, MA · 4.5k students
Trajecta score
-0.3 since '20Ranked #3 of 2,375
5-year trend
89.3 · #1
2020
93.4 · #2
2021
88.9 · #7
2022
89.0 · #5
2023
89.0 · #8
2024
Academic Profile
98/ 100
Career Outcomes
99/ 100
Student Success
98/ 100
Affordability
72/ 100
Academic Investment
100/ 100
Access & Equity
54/ 100
Academic Profile
98
Career Outcomes
99
Student Success
98
Affordability
72
Academic Investment
100
Access & Equity
54
AI Fit Analysis
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See how your profile stacks up at Massachusetts Institute of Technology — predicted chances, program fit, and a personalized application strategy.
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Cost / Net Price
$83k / $20k
SAT Avg
1,560
Retention
99%
Grad Rate
96%
Admissions
Test Scores
Scores represent the midpoint of enrolled students, not a cutoff.
Finances
Tuition
In-State Tuition
$62,396
per year
Out-of-State Tuition
$62,396
per year
Aid & Debt
Pell Grant Share
19%
undergraduates receiving Pell
Federal Loan Share
7%
students borrowing
Median Debt
among completers
$14,768
Admissions Factors
Self-reported by the school in its Common Data Set (section C7) — the school's own statement of which application factors matter in its admissions decisions.
Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025, what Massachusetts Institute of Technology reports weighing in admissions.
| Factor | Very Important | Important | Considered | Not Considered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigor of secondary school record | Rigor of secondary school record: Important | |||
| Class rank | Class rank: Considered | |||
| Academic GPA | Academic GPA: Important | |||
| Standardized test scores | Standardized test scores: Important | |||
| Application essay | Application essay: Important | |||
| Recommendation(s) | Recommendation(s): Important | |||
| Interview | Interview: Important | |||
| Extracurricular activities | Extracurricular activities: Important | |||
| Talent/ability | Talent/ability: Important | |||
| Character/personal qualities | Character/personal qualities: Very Important | |||
| First generation | First generation: Considered | |||
| Alumni/ae relation | Alumni/ae relation: Not Considered | |||
| Geographical residence | Geographical residence: Considered | |||
| State residency | State residency: Not Considered | |||
| Religious affiliation/commitment | Religious affiliation/commitment: Not Considered | |||
| Volunteer work | Volunteer work: Considered | |||
| Work experience | Work experience: Considered | |||
| Level of applicant's interest | Level of applicant's interest: Not Considered |
Supplemental Essays · 2026-27
school's admissions site ↗Field of Study
Requiredapproximately 100-200 wordsWhat field of study appeals to you the most right now? (Note: Applicants select from a drop-down list.) Reflect on what has led you to this interest.
Unconventional Path
Requiredapproximately 100-200 wordsWhile 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?
Problems & People
Requiredapproximately 100-200 wordsReflect 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.
Unexpected Challenge
Requiredapproximately 100-200 wordsHow did you manage a situation or challenge that you didn't expect? What did you learn from it?
For Fun
Required40-50 wordsWhat do you do just for fun?
Someone You Admire
Required40-50 wordsWho is someone you admire, whether you know them personally or look up to them from afar? Tell us why.
Talk for Hours
Required40-50 wordsWhat's a topic, academic or non-academic, that you could talk about for hours?
Generalist or Specialist
Required40-50 wordsMIT 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?
Drafting these? Write them with AI feedback in Trajecta →
Methodology
The Trajecta Score (0–100) blends six dimensions of public college data into one comparable number, then nudges it by how much data each school reports. Selectivity tiers are separate — they’re based purely on a school’s admission rate.
Read the full methodologyMedian earnings 10 years out, earnings vs. a high-school grad, and loan repayment.
Admission selectivity and the incoming class’s SAT / ACT scores.
Average net price after aid and the typical debt of graduates.
Graduation rate and first-year retention.
Instructional spending and faculty salaries per student.
Share of Pell-grant students and reliance on federal loans.
Data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard and IPEDS. Figures are the most recent reported and may lag a year or two. This tool is read-only and not personalized — inside the Trajecta app, scores are tailored to your profile as a fit score.
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Neighbors in Massachusetts, plus the closest schools nationally by Trajecta Score.
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