The paper summarizes results of investigation of high-sensitivity MEMS pressure sensor based on a circuit containing both active and passive stress-sensitive elements: a differential am-plifier utilizing two n-p-n piezotransistors and for p-type piezoresistors. A comparative analysis of a sensor utilizing this circuit with a pressure sensor based on traditional piezoresistive Wheatstone bridge and built on the same mechanical part is provided. MEMS pressure sensor with the differential amplifier (PSDA) has sensitivity of S = 0.66 mV/kPa/V, which exceeded the sensi-tivity of the element with piezoresistive Wheatstone bridge (PSWB) by 2.2 times. The sensitivity increase allows for the following sensor improvements: die size reduction, increase of diaphragm mechanical strength while keeping high pressure sensitivity, and simplifying requirements to ex-ternal processing of the pressure sensor output signal. There are two main challenges related to the use of PSDA-based pressure sensors: strong dependence of output signal on temperature and higher than in PSWB noise reducing the dynamic range of the device to 103. The article describes methods of addressing these problems. The temperature dependence of sensor output signal can be minimized with help of an offset thermal compensation circuit and by eliminating me-tallization at the thin part of the diaphragm. The noise can be minimized by reducing the thick-ness of the active base region of the transistor. Circuit analysis with software NI Multisim shows that sensitivity of PSDA-based pressure sensor can be increased 2.3 times by circuit optimization.