Caltech vs. Wellesley

Should I go to California Institute of Technology or Wellesley College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Caltech or Wellesley 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. Wellesley College comparison
California Institute of Technology Wellesley College College 3 College 4
California Institute of Technology Wellesley College
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Overview

Caltech Wellesley
Location Pasadena, CA Wellesley, MA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,401 2,447
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #17
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu wellesley.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech Wellesley
Tuition (In State) $58,479 $61,584
Tuition (Out of State) $58,479 $61,584
Room & Board $18,606 $19,080
Avg Net Price $20,755 $21,362
Avg Grant Aid $59,192 $61,328
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 59%

Admission

Caltech Wellesley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,626 8,491
Admitted 448 1,152
Acceptance Rate 2.7% 13.6%
Enrolled % 50% 50.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.86
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 35/36 33/35
SAT Range 1530/1580 1430/1550
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 Jan 8, 2025

Academics

Caltech Wellesley
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Caltech Wellesley
Graduation Rate 87% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $68,100
Making Student Loan Payments - 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $8,900
Median Loan Payment $148 $92

Diversity

Caltech Wellesley
% Men 61% 1%
% Women 39% 99%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 40%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 12% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 8% 12%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

Caltech Wellesley
% In-State 29% 11%
% Out-of-State 58% 73%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Wellesley College is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (2,447 students vs. 2,401 students)

Caltech vs. Wellesley Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Wellesley?

  • Wellesley College is 5.3% more expensive to attend than Caltech for in-state tuition ($61,584.00 vs. $58,479.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.3% higher at Wellesley than California Institute of Technology ($61,584.00 vs. $58,479.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than Wellesley ($20,755 vs. $21,362)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of Technology are 2.5% lower than costs at Wellesley College ($18,606 vs. $19,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wellesley College than California Institute of Technology (59% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wellesley College students is 3.6% larger than aid received California Institute of Technology ($61,328 vs. $59,192)

Caltech vs. Wellesley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 175 points higher than at Wellesley (1369)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Wellesley (30)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Wellesley (3.86)
  • Wellesley has a higher acceptance rate (13.6%) than Caltech (2.7%)

Caltech vs. Wellesley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Caltech or Wellesley? 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 Wellesley and Caltech.

  • The graduation rate at Wellesley is higher than California Institute of Technology (92% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $17,700 more per year than Wellesley graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $68,100)
  • Wellesley College students graduate with a $5,450 lower median federal student loan debt than Caltech graduates. ($8,900 vs. $14,350)
  • Wellesley graduates are paying $56 less per month on federal student loans than Caltech graduates. ($92 vs. $148)

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