Caltech vs. Cal State Long Beach

Should I go to California Institute of Technology or California State University Long Beach? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Caltech or Cal State Long Beach 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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California Institute of Technology vs. California State University Long Beach comparison
California Institute of Technology California State University Long Beach College 3 College 4
California Institute of Technology California State University Long Beach
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Overview

Caltech Cal State Long Beach
Location Pasadena, CA Long Beach, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 2,401 38,973
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #507
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu csulb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech Cal State Long Beach
Tuition (In State) $58,479 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $58,479 $17,622
Room & Board $18,606 $14,932
Avg Net Price $20,755 $9,346
Avg Grant Aid $59,192 $9,478
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 75%

Admission

Caltech Cal State Long Beach
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,626 74,718
Admitted 448 29,851
Acceptance Rate 2.7% 40%
Enrolled % 50% 18%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Average
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 35/36 20/26
SAT Range 1530/1580 1020/1240
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, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Caltech Cal State Long Beach
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Caltech Cal State Long Beach
Graduation Rate 87% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments - 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $148 $155

Diversity

Caltech Cal State Long Beach
% Men 61% 41%
% Women 39% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 19%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 12% 39%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 8% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

Caltech Cal State Long Beach
% In-State 29% 97%
% Out-of-State 58% 2%

Campus

Caltech Cal State Long Beach
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

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Long Beach is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (38,973 students vs. 2,401 students)

Caltech vs. Cal State Long Beach Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Cal State Long Beach?

  • California Institute of Technology is 918.4% more expensive to attend than Cal State Long Beach for in-state tuition ($58,479.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 231.9% higher at Caltech than California State University Long Beach ($58,479.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Long Beach than Caltech ($9,346 vs. $20,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Long Beach are 24.6% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($14,932 vs. $18,606)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Long Beach than California Institute of Technology (75% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 524.5% larger than aid received California State University Long Beach ($59,192 vs. $9,478)

Caltech vs. Cal State Long Beach Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or Cal State Long Beach? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cal State Long Beach or Caltech .

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 488 points higher than at Cal State Long Beach (1056)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 12 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Cal State Long Beach (23)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Cal State Long Beach (3.7)
  • Cal State Long Beach has a higher acceptance rate (40%) than Caltech (2.7%)

Caltech vs. Cal State Long Beach Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Caltech or Cal State Long Beach? 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 Cal State Long Beach and Caltech.

  • The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than California State University Long Beach (87% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $34,700 more per year than Cal State Long Beach graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $51,100)
  • California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $650 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal State Long Beach graduates. ($14,350 vs. $15,000)
  • Caltech graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Cal State Long Beach graduates. ($148 vs. $155)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/