Caltech vs. Olin College

Should I go to California Institute of Technology or Olin College of Engineering? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Caltech or Olin College 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. Olin College of Engineering comparison
California Institute of Technology Olin College of Engineering College 3 College 4
California Institute of Technology Olin College of Engineering
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Overview

Caltech Olin College
Location Pasadena, CA Needham, MA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,401 386
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #5
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu olin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech Olin College
Tuition (In State) $58,479 $57,280
Tuition (Out of State) $58,479 $57,280
Room & Board $18,606 $18,524
Avg Net Price $20,755 $38,502
Avg Grant Aid $59,192 $40,522
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 100%

Admission

Caltech Olin College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,626 862
Admitted 448 165
Acceptance Rate 2.7% 19.1%
Enrolled % 50% 45.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 35/36 35/35
SAT Range 1530/1580 1490/1560
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, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Caltech Olin College
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (100%)

Outcomes

Caltech Olin College
Graduation Rate 87% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments - -
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $14,710
Median Loan Payment $148 $152

Diversity

Caltech Olin College
% Men 61% 50%
% Women 39% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 53%
% Black 2% 0%
% Hispanic 12% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 8% 8%
% Unknown Race 0% 11%

Students

Caltech Olin College
% In-State 29% 12%
% Out-of-State 58% 79%

Campus

Caltech Olin College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
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 Olin College based on total student enrollment (2,401 students vs. 386 students)

Caltech vs. Olin College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Olin College?

  • California Institute of Technology is 2.1% more expensive to attend than Olin College for in-state tuition ($58,479.00 vs. $57,280.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.1% higher at Caltech than Olin College of Engineering ($58,479.00 vs. $57,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than Olin College ($20,755 vs. $38,502)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Olin College of Engineering are 0.4% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($18,524 vs. $18,606)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Olin College of Engineering than California Institute of Technology (100% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 46.1% larger than aid received Olin College of Engineering ($59,192 vs. $40,522)

Caltech vs. Olin College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 38 points higher than at Olin College (1506)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Olin College (34)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Olin College (3.9)
  • Olin College has a higher acceptance rate (19.1%) than Caltech (2.7%)

Caltech vs. Olin College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Caltech or Olin College? 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 Olin College and Caltech.

  • The graduation rate at Olin College is higher than California Institute of Technology (96% vs. 87%)
  • California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $360 lower median federal student loan debt than Olin College graduates. ($14,350 vs. $14,710)
  • Caltech graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Olin College graduates. ($148 vs. $152)

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