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UCLA Cal Poly Stanford UCSD UT Austin UC Davis Michigan UCSB UCI USC MIT Georgia Tech| California Institute of Technology | University of California Berkeley | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Caltech | UC Berkeley | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | Berkeley, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,463 | 45,699 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #6 | #64 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | berkeley.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | UC Berkeley | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $60,816 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $60,816 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,503 | $22,692 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,397 | $16,997 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $60,201 | $25,951 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 55% | 50% |
Admission |
Caltech | UC Berkeley | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,107 | 125,910 | ||
| Admitted | 412 | 14,677 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.1% | 11.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 64.6% | 45.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.87 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 35/36 | 30/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1530/1580 | 1310/1530 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
Caltech | UC Berkeley | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Caltech | UC Berkeley | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 90% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,800 | $74,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 79% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,350 | $14,200 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $148 | $146 |
Diversity |
Caltech | UC Berkeley | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 38% | 14% | ||
| % Women | 21% | 13% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 27% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 14% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 5% | ||
| % International | 8% | 14% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 3% |
Students |
Caltech | UC Berkeley | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 30% | 79% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 51% | 10% | ||
Campus |
Caltech | UC Berkeley | ||
| 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
- University of California Berkeley is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (45,699 students vs. 2,463 students)
Caltech vs. UC Berkeley Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or UC Berkeley?
- California Institute of Technology is 413.9% more expensive to attend than UC Berkeley for in-state tuition ($60,816.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 42.7% higher at Caltech than University of California Berkeley ($60,816.00 vs. $42,611.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Berkeley than Caltech ($16,997 vs. $23,397)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of Technology are 16.4% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($19,503 vs. $22,692)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California Institute of Technology than University of California Berkeley (55% vs. 50%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 132% larger than aid received University of California Berkeley ($60,201 vs. $25,951)
Caltech vs. UC Berkeley Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or UC Berkeley? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Berkeley or Caltech .
- The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 147 points higher than at UC Berkeley (1397)
- Incoming Caltech students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at UC Berkeley (32)
- Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at UC Berkeley (3.87)
- UC Berkeley has a higher acceptance rate (11.7%) than Caltech (3.1%)
Caltech vs. UC Berkeley Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Caltech or UC Berkeley? 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 UC Berkeley and Caltech.
- The graduation rate at UC Berkeley is higher than California Institute of Technology (90% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $11,100 more per year than UC Berkeley graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $74,700)
- University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $150 lower median federal student loan debt than Caltech graduates. ($14,200 vs. $14,350)
- UC Berkeley graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Caltech graduates. ($146 vs. $148)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/