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USD UCSD Cal Poly UC Riverside Stanford Cal State Fullerton Cal State Long Beach UCSC San Francisco State UCSB ASU San Jose State| California Institute of Technology | San Diego State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Caltech | San Diego State | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | San Diego, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,401 | 37,402 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #5 | #337 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | sdsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | San Diego State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $58,479 | $5,742 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,479 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,606 | $19,714 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,755 | $13,017 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $59,192 | $9,934 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 57% | 43% |
Admission |
Caltech | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 16,626 | 77,250 | ||
| Admitted | 448 | 30,331 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 2.7% | 39.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 50% | 21.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.82 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | High | ||
| ACT Range | 35/36 | 22/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1530/1580 | 1090/1300 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 3, 2025 | Nov 30, 2024 |
Academics |
Caltech | San Diego State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 25:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Caltech | San Diego State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 66% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,800 | $53,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 65% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,350 | $15,349 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $148 | $158 |
Diversity |
Caltech | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 61% | 42% | ||
| % Women | 39% | 58% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 34% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 31% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 7% | ||
| % International | 8% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 4% |
Students |
Caltech | San Diego State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 29% | 77% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 58% | 21% | ||
Campus |
Caltech | San Diego State | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- San Diego State University is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (37,402 students vs. 2,401 students)
Caltech vs. San Diego State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or San Diego State?
- California Institute of Technology is 918.4% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($58,479.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 231.9% higher at Caltech than San Diego State University ($58,479.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than Caltech ($13,017 vs. $20,755)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of Technology are 6% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($18,606 vs. $19,714)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California Institute of Technology than San Diego State University (57% vs. 43%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 495.9% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($59,192 vs. $9,934)
Caltech vs. San Diego State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or San Diego State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between San Diego State or Caltech .
- The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 414 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
- Incoming Caltech students have a 10 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at San Diego State (25)
- Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at San Diego State (3.82)
- San Diego State has a higher acceptance rate (39.3%) than Caltech (2.7%)
Caltech vs. San Diego State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Caltech or San Diego State? 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 San Diego State and Caltech.
- The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than San Diego State University (87% vs. 66%)
- Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $32,400 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $53,400)
- California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $999 lower median federal student loan debt than San Diego State graduates. ($14,350 vs. $15,349)
- Caltech graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than San Diego State graduates. ($148 vs. $158)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/