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UCSD Cal Poly UCI Stanford UCSC UC Davis UCLA UW-Seattle UC Berkeley San Diego State MIT HMC| California Institute of Technology | University of California Santa Barbara | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Caltech | UCSB | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | Santa Barbara, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Midsize Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 2,463 | 26,068 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #6 | #112 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | ucsb.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | UCSB | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $60,816 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $60,816 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,503 | $18,684 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,397 | $15,283 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $60,201 | $21,732 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 55% | 50% |
Admission |
Caltech | UCSB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,107 | 110,871 | ||
| Admitted | 412 | 30,804 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.1% | 27.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 64.6% | 16.4% | ||
| 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 | 1230/1460 | ||
| 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 | UCSB | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Caltech | UCSB | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 80% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,800 | $59,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 73% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,350 | $16,451 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $148 | $170 |
Diversity |
Caltech | UCSB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 38% | 6% | ||
| % Women | 21% | 5% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 35% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 26% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 8% | ||
| % International | 8% | 7% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 3% |
Students |
Caltech | UCSB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 30% | 80% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 51% | 9% | ||
Campus |
Caltech | UCSB | ||
| 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 Santa Barbara is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (26,068 students vs. 2,463 students)
Caltech vs. UCSB Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or UCSB?
- California Institute of Technology is 413.9% more expensive to attend than UCSB 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 Santa Barbara ($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 Santa Barbara than Caltech ($15,283 vs. $23,397)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Santa Barbara are 4.4% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($18,684 vs. $19,503)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California Institute of Technology than University of California Santa Barbara (55% vs. 50%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 177% larger than aid received University of California Santa Barbara ($60,201 vs. $21,732)
Caltech vs. UCSB Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or UCSB? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSB or Caltech .
- The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 296 points higher than at UCSB (1248)
- Incoming Caltech students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at UCSB (29)
- Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at UCSB (3.82)
- UCSB has a higher acceptance rate (27.8%) than Caltech (3.1%)
Caltech vs. UCSB Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Caltech or UCSB? 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 UCSB and Caltech.
- The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than University of California Santa Barbara (87% vs. 80%)
- Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $26,800 more per year than UCSB graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $59,000)
- California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $2,101 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSB graduates. ($14,350 vs. $16,451)
- Caltech graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than UCSB graduates. ($148 vs. $170)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/