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Cal Poly Stanford Barnard Vassar Tufts MIT HMC Yale Amherst BU Carnegie Mellon BC| California Institute of Technology | Wellesley College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Caltech | Wellesley | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | Wellesley, MA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 2,463 | 2,418 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #6 | #18 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | wellesley.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | Wellesley | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $60,816 | $64,000 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $60,816 | $64,000 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,503 | $19,920 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,397 | $21,501 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $60,201 | $61,549 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 55% | 52% |
Admission |
Caltech | Wellesley | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,107 | 8,184 | ||
| Admitted | 412 | 1,138 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.1% | 13.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 64.6% | 50.4% | ||
| 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 | 1440/1550 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Jan 8, 2026 |
Academics |
Caltech | Wellesley | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 7:1 | ||
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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 | 38% | 1% | ||
| % Women | 21% | 3% | ||
| 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 | 30% | 11% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 51% | 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
- California Institute of Technology is larger than than Wellesley based on total student enrollment (2,463 students vs. 2,418 students)
Caltech vs. Wellesley Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Wellesley?
- Wellesley College is 5.2% more expensive to attend than Caltech for in-state tuition ($64,000.00 vs. $60,816.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.2% higher at Wellesley than California Institute of Technology ($64,000.00 vs. $60,816.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wellesley College than Caltech ($21,501 vs. $23,397)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of Technology are 2.1% lower than costs at Wellesley College ($19,503 vs. $19,920)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California Institute of Technology than Wellesley College (55% vs. 52%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Wellesley College students is 2.2% larger than aid received California Institute of Technology ($61,549 vs. $60,201)
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 (13.9%) than Caltech (3.1%)
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/