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UC Berkeley UCI UCSD Cal Poly Michigan USC Stanford UCSB UVA UT Austin UC Davis MIT| California Institute of Technology | University of California Los Angeles | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Caltech | UCLA | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | Los Angeles, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,463 | 46,678 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #6 | #62 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | ucla.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | UCLA | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $60,816 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $60,816 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,503 | $17,148 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,397 | $15,166 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $60,201 | $22,441 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 55% | 49% |
Admission |
Caltech | UCLA | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,107 | 145,903 | ||
| Admitted | 412 | 12,736 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.1% | 8.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 64.6% | 51.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.92 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 35/36 | 29/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1530/1580 | 1300/1530 | ||
| 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 | UCLA | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Caltech | UCLA | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 90% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,800 | $70,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 78% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,350 | $16,300 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $148 | $168 |
Diversity |
Caltech | UCLA | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 38% | 15% | ||
| % Women | 21% | 14% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 27% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 21% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 5% | ||
| % International | 8% | 13% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 2% |
Students |
Caltech | UCLA | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 30% | 79% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 51% | 13% | ||
Campus |
Caltech | UCLA | ||
| 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 Los Angeles is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (46,678 students vs. 2,463 students)
Caltech vs. UCLA Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or UCLA?
- California Institute of Technology is 413.9% more expensive to attend than UCLA 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 Los Angeles ($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 Los Angeles than Caltech ($15,166 vs. $23,397)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Los Angeles are 13.7% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($17,148 vs. $19,503)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California Institute of Technology than University of California Los Angeles (55% vs. 49%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 168.3% larger than aid received University of California Los Angeles ($60,201 vs. $22,441)
Caltech vs. UCLA Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or UCLA? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCLA or Caltech .
- The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 205 points higher than at UCLA (1339)
- Incoming Caltech students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at UCLA (31)
- Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at UCLA (3.92)
- UCLA has a higher acceptance rate (8.7%) than Caltech (3.1%)
Caltech vs. UCLA Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Caltech or UCLA? 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 UCLA and Caltech.
- The graduation rate at UCLA is higher than California Institute of Technology (90% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $15,100 more per year than UCLA graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $70,700)
- California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $1,950 lower median federal student loan debt than UCLA graduates. ($14,350 vs. $16,300)
- Caltech graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than UCLA graduates. ($148 vs. $168)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/