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Cal Poly Stanford Washington and Lee University of Richmond MIT HMC UNC Chapel Hill Duke Yale Elon William & Mary Furman| California Institute of Technology | Davidson College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Caltech | Davidson | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | Davidson, NC | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 2,463 | 1,904 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #6 | #35 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Presbyterian Church (USA) | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | davidson.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | Davidson | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $60,816 | $59,510 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $60,816 | $59,510 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,503 | $16,400 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,397 | $26,510 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $60,201 | $49,355 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 55% | 65% |
Admission |
Caltech | Davidson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,107 | 7,347 | ||
| Admitted | 412 | 1,064 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.1% | 14.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 64.6% | 48.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.81 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 35/36 | 31/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1530/1580 | 1360/1510 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 3, 2026 | Jan 7, 2026 |
Academics |
Caltech | Davidson | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Caltech | Davidson | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 92% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,800 | $63,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 89% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,350 | $17,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $148 | $175 |
Diversity |
Caltech | Davidson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 38% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 21% | 0% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 68% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 8% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
Caltech | Davidson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 30% | 17% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 51% | 71% | ||
Campus |
Caltech | Davidson | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California Institute of Technology is larger than than Davidson based on total student enrollment (2,463 students vs. 1,904 students)
Caltech vs. Davidson Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Davidson?
- California Institute of Technology is 2.2% more expensive to attend than Davidson for in-state tuition ($60,816.00 vs. $59,510.00)
- Out of state tuition is 2.2% higher at Caltech than Davidson College ($60,816.00 vs. $59,510.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than Davidson ($23,397 vs. $26,510)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Davidson College are 18.9% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($16,400 vs. $19,503)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Davidson College than California Institute of Technology (65% vs. 55%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 22% larger than aid received Davidson College ($60,201 vs. $49,355)
Caltech vs. Davidson Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or Davidson? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Davidson or Caltech .
- The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 189 points higher than at Davidson (1355)
- Incoming Caltech students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Davidson (31)
- Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Davidson (3.81)
- Davidson has a higher acceptance rate (14.5%) than Caltech (3.1%)
Caltech vs. Davidson Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Caltech or Davidson? 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 Davidson and Caltech.
- The graduation rate at Davidson is higher than California Institute of Technology (92% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $22,300 more per year than Davidson graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $63,500)
- California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $2,650 lower median federal student loan debt than Davidson graduates. ($14,350 vs. $17,000)
- Caltech graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Davidson graduates. ($148 vs. $175)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/