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USD San Diego State UCSB UCI UCLA Cal Poly UC Davis UW-Seattle Stanford UC Berkeley UC Riverside Purdue| California Institute of Technology | University of California San Diego | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Caltech | UCSD | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | La Jolla, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,463 | 42,376 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #6 | #88 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | ucsd.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | UCSD | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $60,816 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $60,816 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,503 | $17,198 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,397 | $13,293 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $60,201 | $24,176 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 55% | 64% |
Admission |
Caltech | UCSD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,107 | 130,771 | ||
| Admitted | 412 | 32,062 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.1% | 24.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 64.6% | 21.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.82 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | High | ||
| ACT Range | 35/36 | 28/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1530/1580 | 1270/1480 | ||
| 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 | UCSD | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Caltech | UCSD | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 85% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,800 | $67,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 82% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,350 | $18,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $148 | $191 |
Diversity |
Caltech | UCSD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 38% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 21% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 21% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 1% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 16% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 5% | ||
| % International | 8% | 17% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 2% |
Students |
Caltech | UCSD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 30% | 79% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 51% | 10% | ||
Campus |
Caltech | UCSD | ||
| 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 San Diego is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (42,376 students vs. 2,463 students)
Caltech vs. UCSD Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or UCSD?
- California Institute of Technology is 413.9% more expensive to attend than UCSD 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 San Diego ($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 San Diego than Caltech ($13,293 vs. $23,397)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California San Diego are 13.4% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($17,198 vs. $19,503)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California San Diego than California Institute of Technology (64% vs. 55%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 149% larger than aid received University of California San Diego ($60,201 vs. $24,176)
Caltech vs. UCSD Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or UCSD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSD or Caltech .
- The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 200 points higher than at UCSD (1344)
- Incoming Caltech students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at UCSD (31)
- Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at UCSD (3.82)
- UCSD has a higher acceptance rate (24.5%) than Caltech (3.1%)
Caltech vs. UCSD Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Caltech or UCSD? 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 UCSD and Caltech.
- The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than University of California San Diego (87% vs. 85%)
- Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $17,900 more per year than UCSD graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $67,900)
- California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $4,150 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSD graduates. ($14,350 vs. $18,500)
- Caltech graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than UCSD graduates. ($148 vs. $191)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/