Caltech vs. Stanford

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

Caltech Stanford
Location Pasadena, CA Stanford, CA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,401 18,283
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #2
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu stanford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech Stanford
Tuition (In State) $58,479 $57,693
Tuition (Out of State) $58,479 $57,693
Room & Board $18,606 $18,619
Avg Net Price $20,755 $18,279
Avg Grant Aid $59,192 $60,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 53%

Admission

Caltech Stanford
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,626 56,378
Admitted 448 2,075
Acceptance Rate 2.7% 3.7%
Enrolled % 50% 83.7%
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 33/35
SAT Range 1530/1580 1500/1580
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, 2025 Jan 2, 2025

Academics

Caltech Stanford
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)

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 61% 53%
% Women 39% 47%
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 29% 35%
% Out-of-State 58% 48%

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 (18,283 students vs. 2,401 students)

Caltech vs. Stanford Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Stanford?

  • California Institute of Technology is 1.4% more expensive to attend than Stanford for in-state tuition ($58,479.00 vs. $57,693.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.4% higher at Caltech than Stanford University ($58,479.00 vs. $57,693.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Stanford University than Caltech ($18,279 vs. $20,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of Technology are 0.1% lower than costs at Stanford University ($18,606 vs. $18,619)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California Institute of Technology than Stanford University (57% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Stanford University students is 2.4% larger than aid received California Institute of Technology ($60,619 vs. $59,192)

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 (3.7%) than Caltech (2.7%)

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/