Caltech vs. Rice

Should I go to California Institute of Technology or Rice University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Caltech or Rice is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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California Institute of Technology vs. Rice University comparison
California Institute of Technology Rice University College 3 College 4
California Institute of Technology Rice University
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Overview

Caltech Rice
Location Pasadena, CA Houston, TX
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 2,401 8,672
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #9
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu rice.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech Rice
Tuition (In State) $58,479 $54,100
Tuition (Out of State) $58,479 $54,100
Room & Board $18,606 $15,000
Avg Net Price $20,755 $19,902
Avg Grant Aid $59,192 $51,955
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 56%

Admission

Caltech Rice
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,626 31,443
Admitted 448 2,730
Acceptance Rate 2.7% 8.7%
Enrolled % 50% 44.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 35/36 34/36
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 Rice
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Caltech Rice
Graduation Rate 87% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $86,400
Making Student Loan Payments - 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $10,227
Median Loan Payment $148 $105

Diversity

Caltech Rice
% Men 61% 57%
% Women 39% 43%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 37%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 12% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 8% 12%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Caltech Rice
% In-State 29% 36%
% Out-of-State 58% 47%

Campus

Caltech Rice
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

  • Rice University is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (8,672 students vs. 2,401 students)

Caltech vs. Rice Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Rice?

  • California Institute of Technology is 8.1% more expensive to attend than Rice for in-state tuition ($58,479.00 vs. $54,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.1% higher at Caltech than Rice University ($58,479.00 vs. $54,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rice University than Caltech ($19,902 vs. $20,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rice University are 24% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($15,000 vs. $18,606)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California Institute of Technology than Rice University (57% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 13.9% larger than aid received Rice University ($59,192 vs. $51,955)

Caltech vs. Rice Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or Rice? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Rice or Caltech .

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 62 points higher than at Rice (1482)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Rice (34)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Rice (3.96)
  • Rice has a higher acceptance rate (8.7%) than Caltech (2.7%)

Caltech vs. Rice Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Caltech or Rice? 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 Rice and Caltech.

  • The graduation rate at Rice is higher than California Institute of Technology (92% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Rice University earn on average $600 more per year than Caltech graduates after ten years. ($86,400 vs. $85,800)
  • Rice University students graduate with a $4,123 lower median federal student loan debt than Caltech graduates. ($10,227 vs. $14,350)
  • Rice graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than Caltech graduates. ($105 vs. $148)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/