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Cal Poly San Francisco State Stanford MIT USD HMC SCU Yale Carnegie Mellon UCSC UCLA Seattle U| California Institute of Technology | University of San Francisco | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Caltech | USF | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | San Francisco, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,401 | 9,688 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #5 | #137 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Roman Catholic | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | usfca.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | USF | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $58,479 | $54,980 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,479 | $54,980 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,606 | $16,550 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,755 | $42,953 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $59,192 | $30,916 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 57% | 96% |
Admission |
Caltech | USF | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 16,626 | 23,103 | ||
| Admitted | 448 | 16,444 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 2.7% | 71.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 50% | 9.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.57 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 35/36 | 27/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1530/1580 | 1210/1410 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 3, 2025 | Jan 15, 2025 |
Academics |
Caltech | USF | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Caltech | USF | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 70% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,800 | $70,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 73% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,350 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $148 | $258 |
Diversity |
Caltech | USF | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 61% | 35% | ||
| % Women | 39% | 65% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 27% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 19% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 7% | ||
| % International | 8% | 19% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 2% |
Students |
Caltech | USF | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 29% | 55% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 58% | 34% | ||
Campus |
Caltech | USF | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of San Francisco is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (9,688 students vs. 2,401 students)
Caltech vs. USF Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or USF?
- California Institute of Technology is 6.4% more expensive to attend than USF for in-state tuition ($58,479.00 vs. $54,980.00)
- Out of state tuition is 6.4% higher at Caltech than University of San Francisco ($58,479.00 vs. $54,980.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than USF ($20,755 vs. $42,953)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Francisco are 12.4% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($16,550 vs. $18,606)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Francisco than California Institute of Technology (96% vs. 57%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 91.5% larger than aid received University of San Francisco ($59,192 vs. $30,916)
Caltech vs. USF Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or USF? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USF or Caltech .
- The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 372 points higher than at USF (1172)
- Incoming Caltech students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at USF (26)
- Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at USF (3.57)
- USF has a higher acceptance rate (71.2%) than Caltech (2.7%)
Caltech vs. USF Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Caltech or USF? 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 USF and Caltech.
- The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than University of San Francisco (87% vs. 70%)
- Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $15,400 more per year than USF graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $70,400)
- California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $10,650 lower median federal student loan debt than USF graduates. ($14,350 vs. $25,000)
- Caltech graduates are paying $110 less per month on federal student loans than USF graduates. ($148 vs. $258)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/