C
#5 Best Colleges in America

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California

 1 Reviews

Overview

Enrollment

2,401
California Institute of Technology overview
Location Pasadena, California
Online caltech.edu
School Type Private 4 Year
Setting Midsize City
California Institute of Technology overview
Size Small
Status Non-profit
On Campus Housing Yes
Level of Study Undergrad/Graduate
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The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) occupies a 124-acre campus in Pasadena, California, approximately 11 miles northeast of Los Angeles. The private research university, founded in 1891 as Throop University, features Spanish Mission-style architecture across its main campus, including the distinctive Beckman Auditorium. Caltech maintains highly selective undergraduate admissions and is recognized globally for its programs in science and engineering, particularly in physics, astronomy, and chemistry, with multiple affiliated Nobel laureates. The institution operates several major research facilities, including the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for NASA, the Seismological Laboratory, and the International Observatory at Palomar. All undergraduate students are required to live on campus for their first two years, and most continue to reside in one of the eight student houses or residential communities throughout their academic career.

Ratings

10/10

Overall

10/10

Academics

10/10

Resources

10/10

Outcomes

10/10

Value

Caltech is rated within the top 2% of four-year colleges nationally and earns a CollegeSimply grade of 10 out of 10. Learn how ratings are calculated

Rankings

Rankings for California Institute of Technology within the 2024 CollegeSimply Best Colleges Lists.

View the CollegeSimply ranking methodology.

Getting In

Admission Standards

Exceptional
California Institute of Technology overview
SAT 1530/1580
ACT 35/36
Estimated GPA 3.97

Applications Accepted

2.7% 
California Institute of Technology overview
Applications Due Jan 3, 2025
Applicant Competition Extreme
Application Fee $75

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Annual Cost to Attend

Tuition

$58,479
Costs for California Institute of Technology
Fee Cost
Books and Supplies$1,428
Other Fees$2,385
Room and Board $18,606
Budget for Other Expenses$2,700
Total One Year Cost$83,598

Tuition and financial aid details

Outcomes

Average Salary After 10 Years

$85,800 per year

Bachelor's Degree Graduation Rate

87% within 6 years

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Popular Areas of Study

Popular subjects studied by California Institute of Technology students
Subject Percent of Class
Engineering 41%
Physical Sciences 25%
Computer and Information Sciences 11%
Mathematics 11%
Biology 8%

View All 24 Majors

Other Colleges to Consider 

Students considering Caltech are frequently interested in these similar colleges.

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=110404 IPEDS survey data for California Institute of Technology.

Current students may use the California Institute of Technology GPA calculator to determine their current college GPA.

Last updated February 24, 2024