Comparison tool
Rankings across 8 publishers plus admissions, cost, debt and outcome data for Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, Rice University, Spelman College. Every figure is sourced and dated.
| Metric | MITCambridge, MA | Carnegie MellonPittsburgh, PA | RiceHouston, TX | SpelmanAtlanta, GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 4.5% | 11.7% | 8.0% | 24.9% |
| SAT middle 50% | 1520–1580 | 1500–1570 | 1510–1570 | 1108–1320 |
| Average net price | $20,11119.3% on Pell grants | $31,94416.0% on Pell grants | $13,37017.0% on Pell grants | $38,96727.8% on Pell grants |
| Published tuition & fees | $62,396Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $66,246Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $64,144Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $31,556Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release |
| 6-year graduation rate | 96.4% | 94.1% | 94.6% | 78.5% |
| First-year retention | 99.1% | 98.0% | 97.4% | 94.1% |
| Undergraduates on Pell grants | 19.3% | 16.0% | 17.0% | 27.8% |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $143,372 | $114,862 | $89,718 | $59,993 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $14,768 | $21,750 | $11,000 | $25,000 |
| Student-faculty ratio | 3:1 | 5:1 | 6:1 | 11:1 |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 4,535 | 7,304 | 4,776 | 3,414 |
| Consensus percentile | 1Lower is better | 7Lower is better | 4Lower is better | 31Lower is better |
| Methodology sensitivity | 3 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 11 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 7 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 70 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points |
Highlighted cells mark the most favourable value in that row where a direction is meaningful. No highlight appears for metrics like enrollment or SAT range, where “better” depends entirely on what you want.
“Not ranked by this source” means that publisher’s list does not include the school — not missing data and not a poor rank.
| Source | MIT | Carnegie Mellon | Rice | Spelman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US News | #2 of 436National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 | #20 of 436National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 | #17 of 436National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 | #37 of 207Liberal arts collegesNational Liberal Arts Colleges · 2026 |
| Forbes | #1 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 | #43 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 | #12 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 | #398 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 |
| Washington Monthly | #12 of 442National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 | #47 of 442National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 | #34 of 442National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 | #22 of 218Liberal arts collegesNational Liberal Arts Colleges · 2026 |
| WSJ | #6 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 | #56 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 | #29 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 | #184 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 |
| Niche | #1 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #18 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #10 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #306 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 |
| Money | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| Princeton Review | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Listed | Not ranked by this source |
| QS | #1 of 1,504World (QS)World University Rankings · 2026 | #52 of 1,504World (QS)World University Rankings · 2026 | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
Students with demonstrated, self-directed technical intensity — competition math, original research, shipped projects — who want to be surrounded by peers operating at the same level.
A 4.5% acceptance rate means even exceptional applicants should treat admission as unlikely.
Full profileStudents with a sharply defined specialty — computing, robotics, design, drama, quantitative business — who want to go deep immediately rather than explore broadly.
Need-based aid is weaker than peers at the same ranking tier; net price averages $31,944.
Full profileStudents who want small classes and a strong built-in community but still need research facilities, engineering depth or pre-health access — and who are comfortable trading national name recognition for fit.
Brand recognition outside Texas and the South trails its academic standing.
Full profileBlack women seeking an academically serious, mentorship-dense liberal arts environment — particularly those aiming at medicine, law or a STEM doctorate.
Median earnings of $59,993 partly reflect major mix and high graduate-school continuation.
Full profileFour columns is the maximum — beyond that the table stops being readable. Remove one to add another.