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Harvard Yale Cal Poly Penn Stanford Duke Cornell Brown Columbia Johns Hopkins MIT UChicago| California Institute of Technology | Princeton University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Caltech | Princeton | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | Princeton, NJ | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 2,401 | 8,842 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #5 | #1 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | princeton.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | Princeton | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $58,479 | $57,410 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,479 | $57,410 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,606 | $18,630 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,755 | $18,698 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $59,192 | $59,792 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 57% | 61% |
Admission |
Caltech | Princeton | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 16,626 | 38,019 | ||
| Admitted | 448 | 2,167 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 2.7% | 5.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 50% | 69.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.93 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 35/36 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1530/1580 | 1490/1580 | ||
| 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 | Princeton | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 5:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Caltech | Princeton | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 96% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,800 | $113,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 83% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,350 | $7,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $148 | $77 |
Diversity |
Caltech | Princeton | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 61% | 53% | ||
| % Women | 39% | 47% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 45% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 9% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 8% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 2% |
Students |
Caltech | Princeton | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 29% | 16% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 58% | 69% | ||
Campus |
Caltech | Princeton | ||
| 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
- Princeton University is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (8,842 students vs. 2,401 students)
Caltech vs. Princeton Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Princeton?
- California Institute of Technology is 1.9% more expensive to attend than Princeton for in-state tuition ($58,479.00 vs. $57,410.00)
- Out of state tuition is 1.9% higher at Caltech than Princeton University ($58,479.00 vs. $57,410.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than Caltech ($18,698 vs. $20,755)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of Technology are 0.1% lower than costs at Princeton University ($18,606 vs. $18,630)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than California Institute of Technology (61% vs. 57%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 1% larger than aid received California Institute of Technology ($59,792 vs. $59,192)
Caltech vs. Princeton Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or Princeton? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Princeton or Caltech .
- The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 54 points higher than at Princeton (1490)
- Incoming Caltech students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Princeton (34)
- Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Princeton (3.93)
- Princeton has a higher acceptance rate (5.7%) than Caltech (2.7%)
Caltech vs. Princeton Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Caltech or Princeton? 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 Princeton and Caltech.
- The graduation rate at Princeton is higher than California Institute of Technology (96% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $28,100 more per year than Caltech graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $85,800)
- Princeton University students graduate with a $6,850 lower median federal student loan debt than Caltech graduates. ($7,500 vs. $14,350)
- Princeton graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than Caltech graduates. ($77 vs. $148)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/