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Harvard Cal Poly MIT UC Berkeley UCLA Duke USC Yale Princeton Pomona UChicago Northwestern| California Institute of Technology | Stanford University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Caltech | Stanford | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | Stanford, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 2,463 | 18,446 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #6 | #2 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | stanford.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | Stanford | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $60,816 | $61,731 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $60,816 | $61,731 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,503 | $19,922 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,397 | $17,998 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $60,201 | $64,164 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 55% | 55% |
Admission |
Caltech | Stanford | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,107 | 53,733 | ||
| Admitted | 412 | 2,099 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.1% | 3.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 64.6% | 80.9% | ||
| 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 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1530/1580 | 1510/1580 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Jan 2, 2026 |
Academics |
Caltech | Stanford | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 6:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Caltech | Stanford | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 96% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,800 | $122,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 88% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,350 | $12,475 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $148 | $128 |
Diversity |
Caltech | Stanford | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 38% | 31% | ||
| % Women | 21% | 25% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 37% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 10% | ||
| % International | 8% | 9% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 0% |
Students |
Caltech | Stanford | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 30% | 37% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 51% | 47% | ||
Campus |
Caltech | Stanford | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Stanford University is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (18,446 students vs. 2,463 students)
Caltech vs. Stanford Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Stanford?
- Stanford University is 1.5% more expensive to attend than Caltech for in-state tuition ($61,731.00 vs. $60,816.00)
- Out of state tuition is 1.5% higher at Stanford than California Institute of Technology ($61,731.00 vs. $60,816.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Stanford University than Caltech ($17,998 vs. $23,397)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of Technology are 2.1% lower than costs at Stanford University ($19,503 vs. $19,922)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at California Institute of Technology as Stanford University (55% vs. 55%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Stanford University students is 6.6% larger than aid received California Institute of Technology ($64,164 vs. $60,201)
Caltech vs. Stanford Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or Stanford? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Stanford or Caltech .
- The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 65 points higher than at Stanford (1479)
- Incoming Caltech students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Stanford (33)
- Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Stanford (3.96)
- Stanford has a higher acceptance rate (3.9%) than Caltech (3.1%)
Caltech vs. Stanford Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Caltech or Stanford? 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 Stanford and Caltech.
- The graduation rate at Stanford is higher than California Institute of Technology (96% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from Stanford University earn on average $37,100 more per year than Caltech graduates after ten years. ($122,900 vs. $85,800)
- Stanford University students graduate with a $1,875 lower median federal student loan debt than Caltech graduates. ($12,475 vs. $14,350)
- Stanford graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Caltech graduates. ($128 vs. $148)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/