Caltech vs. HMC

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

Caltech HMC
Location Pasadena, CA Claremont, CA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,401 922
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #5
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu hmc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech HMC
Tuition (In State) $58,479 $62,516
Tuition (Out of State) $58,479 $62,516
Room & Board $18,606 $19,879
Avg Net Price $20,755 $39,850
Avg Grant Aid $59,192 $42,386
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 57%

Admission

Caltech HMC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,626 4,440
Admitted 448 593
Acceptance Rate 2.7% 13.4%
Enrolled % 50% 40%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 35/36 34/36
SAT Range 1530/1580 1480/1560
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 5, 2025

Academics

Caltech HMC
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 (42%)
  • Physical Sciences (18%)
  • Mathematics (13%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (9%)

Outcomes

Caltech HMC
Graduation Rate 87% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $84,900
Making Student Loan Payments - -
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $25,540
Median Loan Payment $148 $264

Diversity

Caltech HMC
% Men 61% 51%
% Women 39% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 38%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 12% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 8% 13%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

Caltech HMC
% In-State 29% 43%
% Out-of-State 58% 43%

Campus

Caltech HMC
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 HMC based on total student enrollment (2,401 students vs. 922 students)

Caltech vs. HMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or HMC?

  • Harvey Mudd College is 6.9% more expensive to attend than Caltech for in-state tuition ($62,516.00 vs. $58,479.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.9% higher at HMC than California Institute of Technology ($62,516.00 vs. $58,479.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than HMC ($20,755 vs. $39,850)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of Technology are 6.8% lower than costs at Harvey Mudd College ($18,606 vs. $19,879)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at California Institute of Technology as Harvey Mudd College (57% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 39.6% larger than aid received Harvey Mudd College ($59,192 vs. $42,386)

Caltech vs. HMC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 60 points higher than at HMC (1484)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at HMC (34)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at HMC (3.96)
  • HMC has a higher acceptance rate (13.4%) than Caltech (2.7%)

Caltech vs. HMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Caltech or HMC? 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 HMC and Caltech.

  • The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than Harvey Mudd College (87% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $900 more per year than HMC graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $84,900)
  • California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $11,190 lower median federal student loan debt than HMC graduates. ($14,350 vs. $25,540)
  • Caltech graduates are paying $116 less per month on federal student loans than HMC graduates. ($148 vs. $264)

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