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Cal Poly Stanford UChicago Notre Dame Duke Vanderbilt WUSTL Johns Hopkins Cornell Georgetown Michigan Loyola| California Institute of Technology | Northwestern University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Caltech | Northwestern | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | Evanston, IL | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,401 | 23,161 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #5 | #15 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | northwestern.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | Northwestern | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $58,479 | $62,391 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,479 | $62,391 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,606 | $19,440 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,755 | $22,095 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $59,192 | $61,716 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 57% | 50% |
Admission |
Caltech | Northwestern | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 16,626 | 51,261 | ||
| Admitted | 448 | 3,695 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 2.7% | 7.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 50% | 55.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.92 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 35/36 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1530/1580 | 1490/1570 | ||
| 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 | Northwestern | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 6:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Caltech | Northwestern | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 94% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,800 | $89,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,350 | $19,378 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $148 | $200 |
Diversity |
Caltech | Northwestern | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 61% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 39% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 50% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 12% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 5% | ||
| % International | 8% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 2% |
Students |
Caltech | Northwestern | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 29% | 22% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 58% | 67% | ||
Campus |
Caltech | Northwestern | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Northwestern University is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (23,161 students vs. 2,401 students)
Caltech vs. Northwestern Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Northwestern?
- Northwestern University is 6.7% more expensive to attend than Caltech for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $58,479.00)
- Out of state tuition is 6.7% higher at Northwestern than California Institute of Technology ($62,391.00 vs. $58,479.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than Northwestern ($20,755 vs. $22,095)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of Technology are 4.5% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($18,606 vs. $19,440)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California Institute of Technology than Northwestern University (57% vs. 50%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 4.3% larger than aid received California Institute of Technology ($61,716 vs. $59,192)
Caltech vs. Northwestern Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or Northwestern? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northwestern or Caltech .
- The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 84 points higher than at Northwestern (1460)
- Incoming Caltech students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Northwestern (33)
- Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Northwestern (3.92)
- Northwestern has a higher acceptance rate (7.2%) than Caltech (2.7%)
Caltech vs. Northwestern Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Caltech or Northwestern? 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 Northwestern and Caltech.
- The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than California Institute of Technology (94% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $4,000 more per year than Caltech graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $85,800)
- California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $5,028 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern graduates. ($14,350 vs. $19,378)
- Caltech graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern graduates. ($148 vs. $200)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/