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Cal Poly UCLA Stanford NYU Pomona Loyola Marymount Claremont McKenna Cornell UC Berkeley UCSD MIT Notre Dame| California Institute of Technology | University of Southern California | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Caltech | USC | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | Los Angeles, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,401 | 48,945 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #5 | #34 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | usc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | USC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $58,479 | $63,468 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,479 | $63,468 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,606 | $17,436 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,755 | $36,808 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $59,192 | $45,262 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 57% | 71% |
Admission |
Caltech | USC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 16,626 | 69,062 | ||
| Admitted | 448 | 8,304 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 2.7% | 12% | ||
| Enrolled % | 50% | 41.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.83 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 35/36 | 32/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1530/1580 | 1450/1550 | ||
| 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 |
Academics |
Caltech | USC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Caltech | USC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 90% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,800 | $85,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 81% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,350 | $22,375 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $148 | $231 |
Diversity |
Caltech | USC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 61% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 39% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 40% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 14% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 5% | ||
| % International | 8% | 13% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
Caltech | USC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 29% | 42% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 58% | 40% | ||
Campus |
Caltech | USC | ||
| 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 Southern California is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 2,401 students)
Caltech vs. USC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or USC?
- University of Southern California is 8.5% more expensive to attend than Caltech for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $58,479.00)
- Out of state tuition is 8.5% higher at USC than California Institute of Technology ($63,468.00 vs. $58,479.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than USC ($20,755 vs. $36,808)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Southern California are 6.7% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($17,436 vs. $18,606)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than California Institute of Technology (71% vs. 57%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 30.8% larger than aid received University of Southern California ($59,192 vs. $45,262)
Caltech vs. USC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or USC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USC or Caltech .
- The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 153 points higher than at USC (1391)
- Incoming Caltech students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at USC (32)
- Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at USC (3.83)
- USC has a higher acceptance rate (12%) than Caltech (2.7%)
Caltech vs. USC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Caltech or USC? 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 USC and Caltech.
- The graduation rate at USC is higher than California Institute of Technology (90% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $300 more per year than USC graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $85,500)
- California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $8,025 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($14,350 vs. $22,375)
- Caltech graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($148 vs. $231)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/