Caltech vs. UCLA

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

Caltech UCLA
Location Pasadena, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 2,401 46,430
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #58
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu ucla.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech UCLA
Tuition (In State) $58,479 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $58,479 $41,636
Room & Board $18,606 $17,231
Avg Net Price $20,755 $16,999
Avg Grant Aid $59,192 $21,766
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 46%

Admission

Caltech UCLA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,626 149,801
Admitted 448 12,845
Acceptance Rate 2.7% 8.6%
Enrolled % 50% 50.3%
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, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Caltech UCLA
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • History (7%)

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 61% 43%
% Women 39% 57%
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 29% 77%
% Out-of-State 58% 15%

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 (46,430 students vs. 2,401 students)

Caltech vs. UCLA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or UCLA?

  • California Institute of Technology is 405.7% more expensive to attend than UCLA for in-state tuition ($58,479.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 40.5% higher at Caltech than University of California Los Angeles ($58,479.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Los Angeles than Caltech ($16,999 vs. $20,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Los Angeles are 8% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($17,231 vs. $18,606)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California Institute of Technology than University of California Los Angeles (57% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 171.9% larger than aid received University of California Los Angeles ($59,192 vs. $21,766)

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 (8.6%) than Caltech (2.7%)

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/