Caltech vs. Yale

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

Caltech Yale
Location Pasadena, CA New Haven, CT
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 2,401 14,776
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #6
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu yale.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech Yale
Tuition (In State) $58,479 $62,250
Tuition (Out of State) $58,479 $62,250
Room & Board $18,606 $18,450
Avg Net Price $20,755 $18,647
Avg Grant Aid $59,192 $63,523
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 52%

Admission

Caltech Yale
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,626 50,060
Admitted 448 2,289
Acceptance Rate 2.7% 4.6%
Enrolled % 50% 67.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.95
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 35/36 33/35
SAT Range 1530/1580 1500/1580
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 2, 2025

Academics

Caltech Yale
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • History (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Ethnic Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Caltech Yale
Graduation Rate 87% 97%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $118,400
Making Student Loan Payments - 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $13,500
Median Loan Payment $148 $139

Diversity

Caltech Yale
% Men 61% 47%
% Women 39% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 47%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 12% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 8% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Caltech Yale
% In-State 29% 6%
% Out-of-State 58% 80%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Yale University is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (14,776 students vs. 2,401 students)

Caltech vs. Yale Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Yale?

  • Yale University is 6.4% more expensive to attend than Caltech for in-state tuition ($62,250.00 vs. $58,479.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.4% higher at Yale than California Institute of Technology ($62,250.00 vs. $58,479.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Yale University than Caltech ($18,647 vs. $20,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Yale University are 0.8% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($18,450 vs. $18,606)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California Institute of Technology than Yale University (57% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Yale University students is 7.3% larger than aid received California Institute of Technology ($63,523 vs. $59,192)

Caltech vs. Yale Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 46 points higher than at Yale (1498)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Yale (33)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Yale (3.95)
  • Yale has a higher acceptance rate (4.6%) than Caltech (2.7%)

Caltech vs. Yale Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Yale is higher than California Institute of Technology (97% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Yale University earn on average $32,600 more per year than Caltech graduates after ten years. ($118,400 vs. $85,800)
  • Yale University students graduate with a $850 lower median federal student loan debt than Caltech graduates. ($13,500 vs. $14,350)
  • Yale graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Caltech graduates. ($139 vs. $148)

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