Caltech vs. Westmont College

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

 Caltech Westmont College
Location Pasadena, CA Santa Barbara, CA
Setting Midsize City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 2,463 1,310
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #6 #138
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu westmont.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Caltech Westmont College
Tuition (In State) $60,816 $50,550
Tuition (Out of State) $60,816 $50,550
Room & Board $19,503 $16,360
Avg Net Price $23,397 $36,412
Avg Grant Aid $60,201 $32,414
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 97%

Admission

 Caltech Westmont College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,107 2,244
Admitted 412 1,792
Acceptance Rate 3.1% 79.9%
Enrolled % 64.6% 17.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.59
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 35/36 30/34
SAT Range 1530/1580 1212/1418
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

Academics

 Caltech Westmont College
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

 Caltech Westmont College
Graduation Rate 87% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $54,600
Making Student Loan Payments - 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $25,123
Median Loan Payment $148 $259

Diversity

 Caltech Westmont College
% Men 38% 26%
% Women 21% 45%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 27% 64%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 12% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 8% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

 Caltech Westmont College
% In-State 30% 65%
% Out-of-State 51% 33%

Campus

 Caltech Westmont College
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 Westmont College based on total student enrollment (2,463 students vs. 1,310 students)

Caltech vs. Westmont College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Westmont College?

  • California Institute of Technology is 20.3% more expensive to attend than Westmont College for in-state tuition ($60,816.00 vs. $50,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.3% higher at Caltech than Westmont College ($60,816.00 vs. $50,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than Westmont College ($23,397 vs. $36,412)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Westmont College are 19.2% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($16,360 vs. $19,503)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Westmont College than California Institute of Technology (97% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 85.7% larger than aid received Westmont College ($60,201 vs. $32,414)

Caltech vs. Westmont College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 365 points higher than at Westmont College (1179)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Westmont College (26)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Westmont College (3.59)
  • Westmont College has a higher acceptance rate (79.9%) than Caltech (3.1%)

Caltech vs. Westmont College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Caltech or Westmont College? 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 Westmont College and Caltech.

  • The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than Westmont College (87% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $31,200 more per year than Westmont College graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $54,600)
  • California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $10,773 lower median federal student loan debt than Westmont College graduates. ($14,350 vs. $25,123)
  • Caltech graduates are paying $111 less per month on federal student loans than Westmont College graduates. ($148 vs. $259)

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