MIT: the complete school report for parents
MIT puts the most weight on personal qualities. A second tier of course rigor, GPA and test scores carries real weight too. It does not consider legacy and demonstrated interest, so campus visits and emails will not move the decision. MIT admits fewer than 1 in 20 applicants, and scores are optional but help when they are strong. Major matters more than the name on the diploma here: five years out, Mathematics graduates earn a median $226,193 against $82,813 for Biology, General.
MIT is officially Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-09-20.
What does MIT actually weigh in admissions?
MIT rates 1 of the 18 factors "Very Important": personal qualities. It does not consider 4 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is MIT's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How MIT rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Important |
| GPA | Important |
| test scores | Important |
| the essay | Important |
| extracurricular activities | Important |
| recommendations | Important |
| personal qualities | Very Important |
| talent | Important |
| class rank | Considered |
| demonstrated interest | Not Considered |
| the interview | Important |
| legacy | Not Considered |
| first-generation status | Considered |
| geography | Considered |
| state residency | Not Considered |
| volunteer work | Considered |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does MIT consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does MIT consider GPA?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does MIT consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does MIT consider the application essay?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does MIT consider extracurricular activities?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does MIT consider recommendation letters?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does MIT consider character and personal qualities?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does MIT consider a special talent or ability?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does MIT consider class rank?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does MIT consider demonstrated interest?
No. MIT does not consider it. Campus visits, emails and info sessions do not move the decision.
Does MIT consider an interview?
Yes. It is an important factor. Offer to interview if invited; it carries real weight here.
Does MIT consider legacy status?
No. MIT does not consider it. A parent or grandparent who attended gives no advantage.
Does MIT consider being first-generation?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. Say so on the application; it is read as context.
Does MIT consider where we live?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does MIT consider state residency?
No. MIT does not consider it.
Does MIT consider volunteer work?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does MIT consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does MIT consider religious affiliation?
No. MIT does not consider it.
What is the MIT waitlist really like?
MIT offered a place on its waiting list to 561 applicants and 468 accepted one. 10 were ultimately admitted. That is 2.1% of those who waited.
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
MIT admitted 2.0% of 1,713 transfer applicants, against 4.6% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
MIT reports its early rounds below.
| Regular application deadline | January 1 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | March 20 |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | No |
| Early Action offered | Yes |
| Early Action deadline | November 1 |
| Application fee | $75 |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What will MIT actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $20,111 a year at MIT after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $66,720. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 100% of demonstrated need on average.
13% of MIT graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $41,297 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $157 a month in repayment. MIT’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from MIT pay off?
Graduates earn a median $143,372 ten years after entering, and $131,633 at six years. 96% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 92% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
$226,193 to $82,813, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at MIT:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | $226,193 | 126 |
| Computer Science | $220,064 | 384 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $190,731 | 73 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | $138,934 | 59 |
| Physics | $126,258 | 67 |
| Chemical Engineering | $124,650 | 48 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $106,765 | 142 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $106,402 | 47 |
| Materials Engineering | $98,069 | 30 |
| Biology, General | $82,813 | 25 |
College Scorecard, by field of study.
Will my child actually graduate?
99% of first-years return for a second year. 86% graduate within four years and 96% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 91.0% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 97.0% of everyone else, a gap of 6.0 points.
How big are the classes?
69% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 4% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 3:1, and 99% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by New England Commission on Higher Education.
What is life at MIT like?
4,561 undergraduates, 91% of first-years from out of state. 100% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 93% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 42% of men join a fraternity and 26% of women a sorority. 26% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $77,426.
What this means for your student
- Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
- The waitlist is live but thin: 10 of 468 who waited were admitted, about 2%.
- Its highest-earning major returns $226,193 five years out against $82,813 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about MIT
Does the MIT waitlist move?
468 students accepted a place on the MIT waiting list and 10 were admitted in the 2025-2026 cycle.
What do MIT graduates earn?
MIT graduates earn a median $143,372 ten years after entering, and 96% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with MIT
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: MIT’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.