IIT vs MIT: A Comprehensive Comparison

IIT vs MIT: While both MIT and IITs are prestigious institutions, choosing out of the two is challenging. Thus, making it even more difficult to choose from. Check out the article to understand all possible aspects of the IIT and MIT differences including course selection, admission process, placements and fees. 

There are 23 IITs in India, but there is just one MIT in USA, with campuses across the world. The choice is challenging because of two reasons, one studying in USA is costlier than studying in India. Secondly, both are top-ranking institutions, hence admissions are very tough for students. We have tried to cover all major pointers to discuss about IIT vs MIT to help you choose which is a better option for studying and pursuing higher education. 

IIT vs MIT: Key Differences

Key Factors	MIT	IIT
Full Form	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Indian Institute of Technology
Established in	1861	1959
Type of Institution	Private	Government / Public
Location	USA	23 Indian Cities
Top Courses	BE, ME, MArch, MS, MBA	BE/BTech, ME/MTech, Phd
Entrances Needed	UG: SAT / ACT PG: GRE / GMAT	UG: JEE Advanced PG: GATE
Annual Tuition Fee	USD 85,960	INR 1 Lakh - INR 1.48 Lakhs
Highest Annual Salary	USD 168,095	INR 1.04 Crores

IIT vs MIT: Global Rankings 2025

Talking about global rankings, QS ranks MIT along with various IITs for the year 2025 for its global universities rankings and they are as follows:

IIT vs MIT Rankings	QS - World Universities Rankings 2025
MIT Rankings
MIT	#1
IIT Rankings
IIT Bombay	#118
IIT Delhi	#150
IIT Kharagpur	#222
IIT Kanpur	#263
IIT Madras	#227
IIT Guwahati	#344
IIT Roorkee	#335
IIT Indore	#477
IIT BHU-Varanasi	#531
IIT Hyderabad	681-690
IIT Bhubaneswar	951-1000

Though MIT takes the lead in rankings, the IITs also make it to the list of top universities globally as per QS rankings 2025.

IIT vs MIT: Academic Programs and Curriculum

Based on the academic program offerings, IITs offer Engineering & Technology, MBA and Architecture & Design related courses at UG and PG levels of study. There are degree programs in:

• BE / BTech
• ME / MTech
• BArch
• MArch
• MBA / PGDM

Check out the List of Courses at IITs for all major IITs in detail for all major course options and their availability.

Whereas, MIT is known for its technical courses but also offers courses in:

• Arts
• Music
• Languages
• Science
• Engineering
• Technology
• Architecture
• Design
• Business & Management
• Linguistics

MIT courses are offered at UG, PG and Doctoral levels. Around 57 undergraduate majors are available along with 59 undergraduate minors and various graduate programs. 

Thus, overall, the course offerings across IITs and MIT are exhaustive, but the plus point is that if an applicant misses the cut-off for one IIT, he/she can look forward to the other IIT. However, this is not applicable for MIT.  

IIT vs MIT: Admission Process and Requirements

Admission process and requirements vary for all the courses offered at IITs and MIT for each level of course as well. Check out the admission process ad requirements for IIT and MIT in the sections below.

IIT Admission Eligibility

The eligibility criteria for IIT admissions vary for each course and level of course offered. 

IIT UG Admissions Eligibility

Those applying for undergraduate admissions at IITs will have to have the following criteria fulfilled to apply:

• For BE/BTech admissions applicants should have 75% in class XII. Qualify for JEE Main and JEE Advanced. Based on JEE Advanced, JoSAA counselling takes place to allocate a seat for admissions.
• For BSc admissions also, 75% in class XII is needed with PCM combinations. Also JEE Advanced is preferable. 

In both cases, applicants must qualify for the cutoff for the JEE Advanced exam to obtain admission to the courses. Applicants must meet IIT cutoffs after qualifying for their entrance exams.

IIT PG Admission Eligibility

For PG course admissions at IITs, the following requirements must be fulfilled:

• For MTech admissions, GATE is required along with a BE/BTech with 60% and above. 
• For PhD admissions at IIT, UGC-NET or JRF is important. Plus research proposal must be approved by the faculty at IIT before admissions. 

MIT Eligibility Criteria

Admission criteria for UG and PG courses at MIT are based on different standardised test scores, academic backgrounds and other miscellaneous parameters for selection. 

• To be eligible for MIT’s UG courses applicants must have passed out from a high school and should submit ACT or SAT scores. 
• To be eligible for PG admissions at MIT, applicants must have a GRE or GMAT score and should fulfil other criteria if any department-wise.
• For both levels of study at MIT, English language proficiency test scores are equally important for submissions like TOEFL or IELTS. 

While eligibility criteria vary for both MIT and IIT, students who are applying for admission at IIT will have to meet the respective cutoffs. Whereas, MIT admissions will be mostly based on the scores in standardised tests and previous academic performance. Admission selectivity at MIT and IIT are equally tough.  

IIT vs MIT Application Process

For those applying for admission to IIT or MIT will have to follow different ways for both these institutions. 

IIT Admission Applications

Applications are not directly accepted for IIT admissions, unlike MIT. For IIT’s UG admission, applicants will have to first register and qualify for JEE Main, then qualify for JEE Advanced and then if the applicant qualifies for the cutoff for any of the IITs, they can register for JoSAA counselling through which seat is allocated for admissions. 

For PG admissions at IITs, GATE qualification is a must and those qualifying for the cutoff can apply for admissions. 

MIT Admission Applications

However, for MIT UG admissions, the applicants can apply for admission through the MIT Portal and apply with all relevant documents and the application fee. While for PG admissions, applicants can apply via respective Department pages. 

Thus, for IITs, the application process is lengthy and time-consuming because it requires various steps of qualification. On the other hand, admission applications for MIT are also difficult but it is a one-time application which is inclusive of everything. Indian applicants planning to apply for MIT admissions must check out: How to Get into MIT from India?

IIT vs MIT: Cost and Financial Aid

Though the cost of pursuing courses at IIT and MIT is very high, the applicants can still go for these courses if they qualify for the cutoff (for IIT) or admission criteria (for MIT). The following table discusses in detail the fees for studying across courses at IITs and MIT in the table below:

Courses	Fees
MIT Course Fees 2024
UG / PG Courses	USD 61,990 (9 months)
Housing & Meals	USD 20,280
Books & Personal Expenses	USD 910 + USD 2,374
Total	USD 85,960 (INR 72,17,391)
IIT Course Fees 2024
UG Courses	INR 1 - 1.48 Lakhs
PG Courses	INR 3 - 8.7 Lakhs

Studying in India at IITs is cheaper than studying in the USA at MIT. Students who wish to study at MIT will also have to cater to costs like the cost of living in USA, along with the costs of studying in USA along with miscellaneous costs. Thus, applicants can choose between the two based on their future goals. If applicants are interested in studying at MIT, they can also look for financial aid and check IIT fees for a broad comparison. 

Financial Aid at MIT Key Highlights

For the year 2022-23, MIT offered funding to its students and this is how much financial aid they got:

• The average need-based scholarship offered was USD 63,729.
• 58% of the students were awarded a need-based MIT Scholarship.
• 37% of the MIT students were attending college tuition-free.
• Around 85% of the MIT students graduated debt-free in 2022. 

Thus, students can also avail of need-based scholarships at MIT even as international students which can cover tuition costs. 

Financial Aid at IITs

Across IITs, the reserved category students get either a partial tuition fee waiver or a full tuition fee waiver. Students can also get 25% scholarships enrolled in Technology courses. Some scholarships are university-specific and may not apply to other campuses. 

MIT vs IIT: Placements & Salaries

While both institutions are at par with each other, their placements are equally rewarding for the students studying here. Let us have a look at the latest key highlights of the salaries of students after they graduate in the following sections. 

IIT Placements & Salaries

Following is compiled data for all major IITs offering the highest packages in India along with the top employers:

Name of IIT	Average Domestic Package (Annual)	Highest Domestic Package (Annual)
IIT (BHU), Varanasi	INR 8.96 Lakhs	INR 40 Lakhs
IIT Kanpur	INR 10-20 Lakhs	INR 93 Lakhs
IIT Kharagpur	INR 15 Lakhs	INR 60-70 Lakhs
IIT Mumbai	INR 20.34 Lakhs	INR 62.28 Lakhs
IIT Delhi	INR 20-25 Lakhs	INR 40-60 Lakhs
IIT Hyderabad	INR 16.74 Lakhs	INR 53.79 Lakhs
IIT Indore	INR 9.13 Lakhs	INR 50 Lakhs
IIT Roorkee	INR 10-20 Lakhs	INR 47 Lakhs
IIT Gandhi Nagar	INR 8.96 Lakhs	INR 40 Lakhs
IIT Madras	INR 10-20 Lakhs	INR 20-40 Lakhs
IIT Mandi	INR 13.5 Lakhs	INR 40 Lakhs

The packages at IITs vary but ideally range between INR 8 Lakhs to INR 1 Crore. Some of the top employers hiring students from different IITs are:

• Google 
• Capital One
• Oracle
• Boston Consulting Group
• Bain & Company
• McKinsey & Company
• JP Morgan Chase
• Bajaj

Applicants can check out about IIT Placements and understand the salary trends. 

MIT Placements & Salaries

If we look at MIT placements, around 49% of the students found a placement right after graduation. The salaries at MIT were the highest for its MBA students, the data is as follows:

Parameters	MIT MBA Class of 2023 Salaries
Average Base Salary	USD 168,095 (INR 1.39 Cr)
Median Base Salary	USD 170,000 (INR 1.41 Cr)
Highest Salary	USD 190,000 (INR 1.58 Cr)
Top Industry (Highest Salary)	Consulting: USD 190,000 (INR 1.58 Cr)

Some of the top employers at MIT were as follows for MBA class of 2023:

• The Boston Consulting Group
• McKinsey & Company
• Amazon
• Google 
• Bain & Company
• Verizon

IIT or MIT: Which is Better?

Both IIT and MIT are prestigious in their ways - courses, rankings, placement opportunities and admissions. There are various reasons to study at MIT and at IIT too, but in terms of cost-effectiveness, IITs are better for Indian students. MIT can be considered if financial aid is available.

In terms of placements, both MIT and the 23 IITs offer placement opportunities to their students. Salaries are at an all-time high for MIT grads in comparison to IIT grads. Thus, the return on investment is higher after studying at MIT. 

Finally, in the choice between MIT vs IIT which is tougher, students who are comfortable studying abroad can apply for MIT admissions while those who wish to study in India can apply to IIT. The acceptance rates at MIT and IIT are more or less similar, that is, very low selection rates but admit academically outstanding students. 

If you are looking for admission-related assistance, you can sign up for our Shiksha Topper Counselling for MIT-related admission queries. Or you can comment in the box below with your queries.