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Cal Poly Stanford Loyola Marymount SCU MIT Pepperdine Chapman HMC Claremont McKenna Yale Scripps College Pomona| California Institute of Technology | Occidental College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Caltech | Oxy | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | Los Angeles, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,463 | 1,854 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #6 | #78 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | oxy.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | Oxy | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $60,816 | $62,850 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $60,816 | $62,850 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,503 | $18,284 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,397 | $47,113 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $60,201 | $33,523 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 55% | 78% |
Admission |
Caltech | Oxy | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,107 | 6,573 | ||
| Admitted | 412 | 2,622 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.1% | 39.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 64.6% | 20.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.63 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 35/36 | 31/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1530/1580 | 1360/1500 | ||
| 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 10, 2026 |
Academics |
Caltech | Oxy | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Caltech | Oxy | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 83% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,800 | $56,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,350 | $23,652 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $148 | $244 |
Diversity |
Caltech | Oxy | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 38% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 21% | 0% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 49% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 16% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 9% | ||
| % International | 8% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 2% |
Students |
Caltech | Oxy | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 30% | 36% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 51% | 56% | ||
Campus |
Caltech | Oxy | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California Institute of Technology is larger than than Oxy based on total student enrollment (2,463 students vs. 1,854 students)
Caltech vs. Oxy Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Oxy?
- Occidental College is 3.3% more expensive to attend than Caltech for in-state tuition ($62,850.00 vs. $60,816.00)
- Out of state tuition is 3.3% higher at Oxy than California Institute of Technology ($62,850.00 vs. $60,816.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than Oxy ($23,397 vs. $47,113)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Occidental College are 6.7% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($18,284 vs. $19,503)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Occidental College than California Institute of Technology (78% vs. 55%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 79.6% larger than aid received Occidental College ($60,201 vs. $33,523)
Caltech vs. Oxy Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or Oxy? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Oxy or Caltech .
- The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 240 points higher than at Oxy (1304)
- Incoming Caltech students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Oxy (30)
- Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Oxy (3.63)
- Oxy has a higher acceptance rate (39.9%) than Caltech (3.1%)
Caltech vs. Oxy Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Caltech or Oxy? 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 Oxy and Caltech.
- The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than Occidental College (87% vs. 83%)
- Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $29,200 more per year than Oxy graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $56,600)
- California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $9,302 lower median federal student loan debt than Oxy graduates. ($14,350 vs. $23,652)
- Caltech graduates are paying $96 less per month on federal student loans than Oxy graduates. ($148 vs. $244)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/