Should I go to California Institute of Technology or California State Polytechnic University Pomona? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Caltech or California State Polytechnic University-Pomona is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach Stanford San Jose State MIT HMC Yale Carnegie Mellon UC Merced UCLA Cal State Fullerton UC Berkeley| California Institute of Technology | California State Polytechnic University Pomona | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Caltech | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | Pomona, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,463 | 26,848 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #6 | #590 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | csupomona.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $60,816 | $5,742 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $60,816 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,503 | $16,330 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,397 | $11,898 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $60,201 | $10,441 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 55% | 72% |
Admission |
Caltech | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | ||
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| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,107 | 45,775 | ||
| Admitted | 412 | 33,737 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.1% | 73.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 64.6% | 12.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.69 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 35/36 | 19/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1530/1580 | 1010/1250 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 3, 2026 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
Caltech | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 23:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Caltech | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 50% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,800 | $55,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 72% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,350 | $19,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $148 | $196 |
Diversity |
Caltech | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 38% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 21% | 5% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 19% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 40% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 8% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 4% |
Students |
Caltech | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | ||
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| % In-State | 30% | 98% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 51% | 1% | ||
Campus |
Caltech | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or California State Polytechnic University-Pomona?
Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or California State Polytechnic University-Pomona? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between California State Polytechnic University-Pomona or Caltech .
Which is better, Caltech or California State Polytechnic University-Pomona? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between California State Polytechnic University-Pomona and Caltech.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/