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RIT Cal Poly Stanford Stevens Binghamton University Northeastern MIT U of R HMC Lehigh Yale WPI| California Institute of Technology | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Caltech | RPI | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | Troy, NY | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,463 | 7,024 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #6 | #124 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | rpi.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | RPI | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $60,816 | $60,360 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $60,816 | $60,360 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,503 | $17,530 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,397 | $35,940 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $60,201 | $43,994 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 55% | 96% |
Admission |
Caltech | RPI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,107 | 16,283 | ||
| Admitted | 412 | 9,517 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.1% | 58.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 64.6% | 16.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.88 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 35/36 | 30/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1530/1580 | 1330/1500 | ||
| 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 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Caltech | RPI | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Caltech | RPI | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 84% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,800 | $82,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 92% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,350 | $27,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $148 | $284 |
Diversity |
Caltech | RPI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 38% | 10% | ||
| % Women | 21% | 5% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 59% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 7% | ||
| % International | 8% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 2% |
Students |
Caltech | RPI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 30% | 36% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 51% | 58% | ||
Campus |
Caltech | RPI | ||
| 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
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (7,024 students vs. 2,463 students)
Caltech vs. RPI Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or RPI?
- California Institute of Technology is 0.8% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($60,816.00 vs. $60,360.00)
- Out of state tuition is 0.8% higher at Caltech than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($60,816.00 vs. $60,360.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than RPI ($23,397 vs. $35,940)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 11.3% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($17,530 vs. $19,503)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than California Institute of Technology (96% vs. 55%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 36.8% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($60,201 vs. $43,994)
Caltech vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or RPI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between RPI or Caltech .
- The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 176 points higher than at RPI (1368)
- Incoming Caltech students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at RPI (30)
- Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at RPI (3.88)
- RPI has a higher acceptance rate (58.4%) than Caltech (3.1%)
Caltech vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Caltech or RPI? 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 RPI and Caltech.
- The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (87% vs. 84%)
- Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $3,300 more per year than RPI graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $82,500)
- California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $13,150 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($14,350 vs. $27,500)
- Caltech graduates are paying $136 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($148 vs. $284)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/