Caltech vs. Mills College

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

Caltech Mills College
Location Pasadena, CA Oakland, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 2,463 658
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #6
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu mills.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech Mills College
Tuition (In State) $60,816 $62,000
Tuition (Out of State) $60,816 $62,000
Room & Board $19,503 $18,790
Avg Net Price $23,397 -
Avg Grant Aid $60,201 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 0%

Admission

Caltech Mills College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,107 17,177
Admitted 412 2,841
Acceptance Rate 3.1% 16.5%
Enrolled % 64.6% 17.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.57
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 35/36 31/33
SAT Range 1530/1580 1390/1520
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

Academics

Caltech Mills College
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • English and Literature (16%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Ethnic Studies (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

Caltech Mills College
Graduation Rate 87% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $44,400
Making Student Loan Payments - 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $148 $242

Diversity

Caltech Mills College
% Men 38% 10%
% Women 21% 8%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 48%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 12% 24%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 10%
% International 8% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Caltech Mills College
% In-State 30% 75%
% Out-of-State 51% 22%

Campus

Caltech Mills College
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 Mills College based on total student enrollment (2,463 students vs. 658 students)

Caltech vs. Mills College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Mills College?

  • Mills College is 1.9% more expensive to attend than Caltech for in-state tuition ($62,000.00 vs. $60,816.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.9% higher at Mills College than California Institute of Technology ($62,000.00 vs. $60,816.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mills College are 3.8% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($18,790 vs. $19,503)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California Institute of Technology than Mills College (55% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is ?% larger than aid received Mills College ($60,201 vs. $0)

Caltech vs. Mills College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 361 points higher than at Mills College (1183)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Mills College (27)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Mills College (3.57)
  • Mills College has a higher acceptance rate (16.5%) than Caltech (3.1%)

Caltech vs. Mills College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Caltech or Mills 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 Mills College and Caltech.

  • The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than Mills College (87% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $41,400 more per year than Mills College graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $44,400)
  • California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $9,150 lower median federal student loan debt than Mills College graduates. ($14,350 vs. $23,500)
  • Caltech graduates are paying $94 less per month on federal student loans than Mills College graduates. ($148 vs. $242)

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