California Institute of Technology

California Institute of Technology Overview

California Institute of Technology is a private, nonprofit school in a suburban setting in Pasadena, California. Caltech was founded in 1891 and now enrolls around 2,240 students a year, including 901 undergrads. Caltech provides housing for students.

There are many ways for students to get involved at Caltech! Love music or performing? Sing in a chorus or perform with one of Caltech's theater groups.

Interested in journalism or communications? Caltech students can write for the campus newspaperor be a producer for the student-run television channel.

There are no fraternities or sororities at Caltech, so it might be a good choice if you're not interested in Greek life.

Planning to play sports? Caltech has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at Caltech on the Student Life page.

Learn more about life at Caltech on the Student Life page.

Mark your calendar! The final application deadline for Fall 2022 is January 3. Regular decision applicants for Fall 2022 should receive admissions decisions by March 15.

Is Caltech a Good School?

Different people have different ideas about what makes a "good" school. Admissions difficulty and admitted student statistics can give you a sense of how selective a college is, but they don't say much about the quality of the education or the student experience. However, there are a few good ways to get a better sense how satisfied students are and how well a school supports its student body.

Let's take a closer look at to get a better idea of what Caltech offers and if it might be a good fit for you.

Caltech Acceptance Rate 2021

It is extremely difficult to get into Caltech. Around 7% of applicants get into Caltech each year. In 2021, just 536 out of the 8,007 students who applied were accepted.

Retention and Graduation Rates at Caltech

Retention is the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. This is a way to get a sense of how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.

Out of all the first-year, full-time undergrads who start at Caltech, around 94% come back their sophomore year. Around 92% of students who started at Caltech earn their Bachelor's degrees within six years. The average six-year graduation rate for U.S. colleges and universities is 61% for public schools, and 67% for private, non-profit schools.

Job Outcomes for Caltech Grads

Job placement rates after graduation and average starting salaries can all give important clues about the value of a degree from a specific school.

The average starting salary for recent Caltech grads is $105,500 a year. Average starting salaries vary by discipline, but the average starting salary for all 2021 graduates was around $60,000 a year.

Caltech's Endowment

An endowment is the total value of a school's investments, donations, and assets. Endowment is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of a school, but it can give you a sense of how much money a college can afford to invest in expanding programs, improving facilities, and support students. Caltech's endowment was valued at $2.9 billion in 2021, compared to a national average of $905 million. The school spends $104,953 for each full-time student enrolled.

Tuition and Financial Aid at Caltech

Cost is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need. Caltech meets 100% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. First-year students that attend Caltech full-time are awarded $50,854 a year in financial aid, on average.

In 2020, students graduated with an average of $16,950 in student loans for each student with debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

The 2022-2023 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2021

Some financial aid is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA as soon as you can. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! You should never have to pay to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), so don't give your money (or info!) to any website that claim you do.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at Caltech. Based on this information, how does Caltech sound? Remember, a school that is perfect for one person may not be the right school for someone else! So ask yourself: Is Caltech a good school for you?

If California Institute of Technology seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.

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Where is California Institute of Technology Located?

Caltech is located in the suburban setting of Pasadena, California, less than an hour from Los Angeles.

If you want to see Caltech for yourself, plan a visit. The best way to reach campus is to take Interstate 210 to Pasadena, or book a flight to the nearest airport, Burbank Bob Hope.

You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what Caltech and Pasadena are like without leaving home.

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