Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
UC Riverside Cal Poly Stanford UCSB UC Davis San Jose State UC Merced San Diego State UCI MIT UCSD SCU| California Institute of Technology | University of California Santa Cruz | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Caltech | UCSC | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | Santa Cruz, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,401 | 19,478 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #5 | #222 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | ucsc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | UCSC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $58,479 | $11,564 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,479 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,606 | $18,185 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,755 | $17,975 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $59,192 | $21,202 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 57% | 68% |
Admission |
Caltech | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 16,626 | 65,912 | ||
| Admitted | 448 | 30,926 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 2.7% | 46.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 50% | 12.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.63 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 35/36 | 25/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1530/1580 | 1160/1360 | ||
| 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 | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 23:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Caltech | UCSC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 73% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,800 | $50,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 74% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,350 | $19,959 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $148 | $206 |
Diversity |
Caltech | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 61% | 50% | ||
| % Women | 39% | 50% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 33% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 31% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 7% | ||
| % International | 8% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 2% |
Students |
Caltech | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 29% | 90% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 58% | 7% | ||
Campus |
Caltech | UCSC | ||
| 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 Cruz is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (19,478 students vs. 2,401 students)
Caltech vs. UCSC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or UCSC?
- California Institute of Technology is 405.7% more expensive to attend than UCSC 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 Santa Cruz ($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 Santa Cruz than Caltech ($17,975 vs. $20,755)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Santa Cruz are 2.3% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($18,185 vs. $18,606)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Santa Cruz than California Institute of Technology (68% vs. 57%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 179.2% larger than aid received University of California Santa Cruz ($59,192 vs. $21,202)
Caltech vs. UCSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or UCSC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSC or Caltech .
- The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 343 points higher than at UCSC (1201)
- Incoming Caltech students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at UCSC (28)
- Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at UCSC (3.63)
- UCSC has a higher acceptance rate (46.9%) than Caltech (2.7%)
Caltech vs. UCSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Caltech or UCSC? 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 UCSC and Caltech.
- The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than University of California Santa Cruz (87% vs. 73%)
- Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $35,400 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $50,400)
- California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $5,609 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSC graduates. ($14,350 vs. $19,959)
- Caltech graduates are paying $58 less per month on federal student loans than UCSC graduates. ($148 vs. $206)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/