Caltech vs. SCU

Should I go to California Institute of Technology or Santa Clara University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Caltech or SCU 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. Santa Clara University comparison
California Institute of Technology Santa Clara University College 3 College 4
California Institute of Technology Santa Clara University
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Overview

Caltech SCU
Location Pasadena, CA Santa Clara, CA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 2,401 9,178
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #62
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu scu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech SCU
Tuition (In State) $58,479 $56,880
Tuition (Out of State) $58,479 $56,880
Room & Board $18,606 $17,112
Avg Net Price $20,755 $50,551
Avg Grant Aid $59,192 $25,295
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 72%

Admission

Caltech SCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,626 16,650
Admitted 448 8,677
Acceptance Rate 2.7% 52.1%
Enrolled % 50% 18.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 35/36 29/33
SAT Range 1530/1580 1290/1480
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 7, 2025

Academics

Caltech SCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Caltech SCU
Graduation Rate 87% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $81,900
Making Student Loan Payments - 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $148 $222

Diversity

Caltech SCU
% Men 61% 50%
% Women 39% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 49%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 12% 17%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 8% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

Caltech SCU
% In-State 29% 50%
% Out-of-State 58% 40%

Campus

Caltech SCU
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

  • Santa Clara University is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (9,178 students vs. 2,401 students)

Caltech vs. SCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or SCU?

  • California Institute of Technology is 2.8% more expensive to attend than SCU for in-state tuition ($58,479.00 vs. $56,880.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.8% higher at Caltech than Santa Clara University ($58,479.00 vs. $56,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than SCU ($20,755 vs. $50,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Clara University are 8.7% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($17,112 vs. $18,606)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Santa Clara University than California Institute of Technology (72% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 134% larger than aid received Santa Clara University ($59,192 vs. $25,295)

Caltech vs. SCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 231 points higher than at SCU (1313)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at SCU (30)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at SCU (3.67)
  • SCU has a higher acceptance rate (52.1%) than Caltech (2.7%)

Caltech vs. SCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than Santa Clara University (87% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $3,900 more per year than SCU graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $81,900)
  • California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $7,150 lower median federal student loan debt than SCU graduates. ($14,350 vs. $21,500)
  • Caltech graduates are paying $74 less per month on federal student loans than SCU graduates. ($148 vs. $222)

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