Caltech vs. Vanderbilt

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

Caltech Vanderbilt
Location Pasadena, CA Nashville, TN
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 2,401 13,710
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #14
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu vanderbilt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech Vanderbilt
Tuition (In State) $58,479 $58,130
Tuition (Out of State) $58,479 $58,130
Room & Board $18,606 $19,862
Avg Net Price $20,755 $25,606
Avg Grant Aid $59,192 $53,932
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 65%

Admission

Caltech Vanderbilt
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,626 46,377
Admitted 448 3,093
Acceptance Rate 2.7% 6.7%
Enrolled % 50% 52.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 35/36 34/35
SAT Range 1530/1580 1490/1570
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, 2024 Jan 1, 2024

Academics

Caltech Vanderbilt
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 (27%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Caltech Vanderbilt
Graduation Rate 87% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $83,100
Making Student Loan Payments - 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $148 $144

Diversity

Caltech Vanderbilt
% Men 61% 44%
% Women 39% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 55%
% Black 2% 8%
% Hispanic 12% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 8% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

Caltech Vanderbilt
% In-State 29% 9%
% Out-of-State 58% 79%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Vanderbilt University is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (13,710 students vs. 2,401 students)

Caltech vs. Vanderbilt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Vanderbilt?

  • California Institute of Technology is 0.6% more expensive to attend than Vanderbilt for in-state tuition ($58,479.00 vs. $58,130.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.6% higher at Caltech than Vanderbilt University ($58,479.00 vs. $58,130.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than Vanderbilt ($20,755 vs. $25,606)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of Technology are 6.8% lower than costs at Vanderbilt University ($18,606 vs. $19,862)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Vanderbilt University than California Institute of Technology (65% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 9.8% larger than aid received Vanderbilt University ($59,192 vs. $53,932)

Caltech vs. Vanderbilt Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 46 points higher than at Vanderbilt (1498)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Vanderbilt (34)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Vanderbilt (3.89)
  • Vanderbilt has a higher acceptance rate (6.7%) than Caltech (2.7%)

Caltech vs. Vanderbilt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Vanderbilt is higher than California Institute of Technology (92% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $2,700 more per year than Vanderbilt graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $83,100)
  • Vanderbilt University students graduate with a $350 lower median federal student loan debt than Caltech graduates. ($14,000 vs. $14,350)
  • Vanderbilt graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Caltech graduates. ($144 vs. $148)

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