Caltech vs. Webb Institute

Should I go to California Institute of Technology or Webb Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Caltech or Webb Institute is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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California Institute of Technology vs. Webb Institute comparison
California Institute of Technology Webb Institute College 3 College 4
California Institute of Technology Webb Institute
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Overview

Caltech Webb Institute
Location Pasadena, CA Glen Cove, NY
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,463 105
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #6
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu webb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech Webb Institute
Tuition (In State) $60,816 $57,830
Tuition (Out of State) $60,816 $57,830
Room & Board $19,503 $14,690
Avg Net Price $23,397 $21,488
Avg Grant Aid $60,201 $56,652
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 100%

Admission

Caltech Webb Institute
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,107 185
Admitted 412 37
Acceptance Rate 3.1% 20%
Enrolled % 64.6% 73%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 4.0
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 35/36
SAT Range 1530/1580 1390/1525
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, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

Caltech Webb Institute
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

Caltech Webb Institute
Graduation Rate 87% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments - -
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 N/A
Median Loan Payment $148 N/A

Diversity

Caltech Webb Institute
% Men 38% 55%
% Women 21% 18%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 27% 77%
% Black 2% 0%
% Hispanic 12% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 8% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Caltech Webb Institute
% In-State 30% 28%
% Out-of-State 51% 72%

Campus

Caltech Webb Institute
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California Institute of Technology is larger than than Webb Institute based on total student enrollment (2,463 students vs. 105 students)

Caltech vs. Webb Institute Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Webb Institute?

  • California Institute of Technology is 5.2% more expensive to attend than Webb Institute for in-state tuition ($60,816.00 vs. $57,830.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.2% higher at Caltech than Webb Institute ($60,816.00 vs. $57,830.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Webb Institute than Caltech ($21,488 vs. $23,397)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Webb Institute are 32.8% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($14,690 vs. $19,503)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Webb Institute than California Institute of Technology (100% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 6.3% larger than aid received Webb Institute ($60,201 vs. $56,652)

Caltech vs. Webb Institute Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or Webb Institute? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Webb Institute or Caltech .

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 102 points higher than at Webb Institute (1442)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Webb Institute (32)
  • Accepted freshman Webb Institute students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Caltech (3.97)
  • Webb Institute has a higher acceptance rate (20%) than Caltech (3.1%)

Caltech vs. Webb Institute Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Caltech or Webb Institute? 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 Webb Institute and Caltech.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/