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Cal Poly Stanford Carleton College Macalester College Oberlin MIT HMC Yale Kenyon Carnegie Mellon UCLA UC Berkeley| California Institute of Technology | Grinnell College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Caltech | Grinnell | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | Grinnell, IA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Remote Town | ||
| Enrollment | 2,463 | 1,775 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #6 | #55 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | grinnell.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | Grinnell | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $60,816 | $64,342 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $60,816 | $64,342 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,503 | $15,878 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,397 | $33,446 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $60,201 | $45,782 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 55% | 92% |
Admission |
Caltech | Grinnell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,107 | 9,988 | ||
| Admitted | 412 | 1,266 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.1% | 12.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 64.6% | 36.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.89 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 35/36 | 31/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1530/1580 | 1418/1550 | ||
| 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 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Caltech | Grinnell | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Caltech | Grinnell | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 88% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,800 | $59,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,350 | $13,170 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $148 | $136 |
Diversity |
Caltech | Grinnell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 38% | 2% | ||
| % Women | 21% | 2% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 56% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 5% | ||
| % International | 8% | 16% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 3% |
Students |
Caltech | Grinnell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 30% | 8% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 51% | 69% | ||
Campus |
Caltech | Grinnell | ||
| 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 Grinnell based on total student enrollment (2,463 students vs. 1,775 students)
Caltech vs. Grinnell Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Grinnell?
- Grinnell College is 5.8% more expensive to attend than Caltech for in-state tuition ($64,342.00 vs. $60,816.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.8% higher at Grinnell than California Institute of Technology ($64,342.00 vs. $60,816.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than Grinnell ($23,397 vs. $33,446)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grinnell College are 22.8% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($15,878 vs. $19,503)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than California Institute of Technology (92% vs. 55%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 31.5% larger than aid received Grinnell College ($60,201 vs. $45,782)
Caltech vs. Grinnell Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or Grinnell? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Grinnell or Caltech .
- The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 142 points higher than at Grinnell (1402)
- Incoming Caltech students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Grinnell (32)
- Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Grinnell (3.89)
- Grinnell has a higher acceptance rate (12.7%) than Caltech (3.1%)
Caltech vs. Grinnell Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Caltech or Grinnell? 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 Grinnell and Caltech.
- The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than California Institute of Technology (88% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $26,300 more per year than Grinnell graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $59,500)
- Grinnell College students graduate with a $1,180 lower median federal student loan debt than Caltech graduates. ($13,170 vs. $14,350)
- Grinnell graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Caltech graduates. ($136 vs. $148)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/