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Cal Poly Stanford MIT Westmont College HMC Yale Biola University Carnegie Mellon USD UCLA Pepperdine UC Berkeley| California Institute of Technology | Point Loma Nazarene University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Caltech | PLNU | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | San Diego, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,463 | 4,494 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #6 | #252 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Church of the Nazarene | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | pointloma.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | PLNU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $60,816 | $42,600 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $60,816 | $42,600 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,503 | $12,850 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,397 | $36,370 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $60,201 | $20,277 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 55% | 93% |
Admission |
Caltech | PLNU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,107 | 3,065 | ||
| Admitted | 412 | 2,506 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.1% | 81.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 64.6% | 26.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.65 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | |||
| ACT Range | 35/36 | 22/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1530/1580 | 1140/1410 | ||
| 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 | Feb 15, 2025 |
Academics |
Caltech | PLNU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Caltech | PLNU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 72% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,800 | $53,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 79% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,350 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $148 | $258 |
Diversity |
Caltech | PLNU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 38% | 9% | ||
| % Women | 21% | 21% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 59% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 23% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 7% | ||
| % International | 8% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 2% |
Students |
Caltech | PLNU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 30% | 70% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 51% | 29% | ||
Campus |
Caltech | PLNU | ||
| 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
- Point Loma Nazarene University is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (4,494 students vs. 2,463 students)
Caltech vs. PLNU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or PLNU?
- California Institute of Technology is 42.8% more expensive to attend than PLNU for in-state tuition ($60,816.00 vs. $42,600.00)
- Out of state tuition is 42.8% higher at Caltech than Point Loma Nazarene University ($60,816.00 vs. $42,600.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than PLNU ($23,397 vs. $36,370)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Point Loma Nazarene University are 51.8% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($12,850 vs. $19,503)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Point Loma Nazarene University than California Institute of Technology (93% vs. 55%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 196.9% larger than aid received Point Loma Nazarene University ($60,201 vs. $20,277)
Caltech vs. PLNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or PLNU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between PLNU or Caltech .
- The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 396 points higher than at PLNU (1148)
- Incoming Caltech students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at PLNU (26)
- Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at PLNU (3.65)
- PLNU has a higher acceptance rate (81.8%) than Caltech (3.1%)
Caltech vs. PLNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Caltech or PLNU? 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 PLNU and Caltech.
- The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than Point Loma Nazarene University (87% vs. 72%)
- Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $32,300 more per year than PLNU graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $53,500)
- California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $10,650 lower median federal student loan debt than PLNU graduates. ($14,350 vs. $25,000)
- Caltech graduates are paying $110 less per month on federal student loans than PLNU graduates. ($148 vs. $258)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/