Chances of getting into California Institute of Technology
Admissions
Acceptance Rate
| Measure | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission Standards | Elite | |
| Applicant Competition | Extreme |
How hard is it to get into Caltech and can I get accepted?
The acceptance rate at Caltech is 7%. It ranks #2 in California and #4 in the nation for lowest rate of acceptance. Caltech is extremely competitive school to get into with a very low chance of acceptance - even for applicants with the highest scores and grades. Last year, 536 out of 8,007 applicants were admitted.
The school has exceptionally high admission requirements for SAT and ACT scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 1 percent (SAT 1530/1580 ACT 35/36). California Institute of Technology typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.97. Most incoming freshmen graduate in the top ten percent of their high school class. 42% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.
The Caltech application fee is $75 and applications are due by Jan 1.
Testing Requirements
You are required to submit admission test scores with your application. California Institute of Technology is not a test optional school. Note: Please consult the school directly to determine if testing requirements are temporarily suspended due to COVID-19.
Caltech SAT Scores
SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score
SAT Range
Applicants Submitting SAT
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 740 |
| SAT Math 25th | 790 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1530 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 780 |
| SAT Math 75th | 800 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1580 |
| Average SAT Score | 1560 |
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to California Institute of Technology?
California Institute of Technology typically prefers applicants to be in the top 1 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1530 on a 1600 scale, below which admission should be considered a reach. We estimate some students could be accepted with SAT's as low as 1500. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1560 out of 1600. Caltech ranks #1 in California and #1 in the nation for highest average SAT composite score. A competitive SAT score is critical as 68 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school.
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2020 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
| SAT Score (1600 scale) | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 1580 and Above | Good | >11% |
| 1555 to 1580 | Avg + | 7%-11% |
| 1530 to 1555 | Avg - | 4%-7% |
| 1505 to 1530 | Reach | 3%-4% |
| Less than 1505 | Low | <3% |
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Caltech ACT Scores
ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score
ACT Range
Applicants Submitting ACT
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 35 |
| ACT Math 25th | 35 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 35 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 36 |
| ACT Math 75th | 36 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 36 |
| Average ACT Score | 35 |
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Caltech?
Admission data indicates that Caltech regularly accepts students with ACT's of 35 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 1 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 34 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 36 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 36 and above have very competitive chances. The school ranks #1 in California and #1 in the U.S. for highest average ACT composite score. 52 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to California Institute of Technology.
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2020 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
| ACT Score | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 36 and Above | Good | >18% |
| 35 to 36 | Avg + | 7%-18% |
| 35 to 35 | Avg - | 7%-7% |
| 35 to 35 | Reach | 7%-7% |
| Less than 35 | Low | <7% |
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Caltech GPA
Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA
Avg. High School GPA
Typical High School Grades
What GPA do you need to get into California Institute of Technology?
Applicants require exceptionally good grades to get into Caltech. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at California Institute of Technology was 3.97 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A- students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #6 in California for highest average GPA. Given the school's very highly selective admissions, acceptance at Caltech extremely difficult and unlikely even with a 3.97 GPA. The school should be considered a reach even if you have a 3.97 GPA.
*This school has not released high school GPA data for its incoming freshmen. In these cases, CollegeSimply employs an artificial intelligence (AI) process to predict GPA based on this school's test scores and a large sample of other colleges' data. 3.97 is an estimate of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.
Similar Requirements
High School Class Rank
96% of California Institute of Technology freshman were in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class.
| High School Class Rank | Freshmen Within Range |
|---|---|
| Top 10% of class | 96% |
| Top 25% of class | 100% |
| Top 50% of class | 0% |
Applying
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 2,300 | 5,707 | 8,007 |
| Accepted | 254 | 282 | 536 |
| Acceptance Rate | 11% | 5% | 7% |
| Enrolled | 98 | 127 | 225 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 39% | 45% | 42% |
Fall 2022 Application Deadline
Applications were Due
Days left to Apply
The application deadline for Fall 2022 has passed. Applications were due on Jan 1, 2022.
Application Fee
The cost for prospective students to apply to California Institute of Technology is $75.
Application Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to California Institute of Technology and what student information is used for admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Required |
| High School GPA | Recommended |
| High School Class Rank | Recommended |
| Completion of College Preparatory Program | Required |
| Recommendations | Required |
| Demonstration of Competencies | Neither required nor recommended |
Credits Accepted
| AP Credit | No |
| Dual Credit | No |
| Credit for Life Experiences | No |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=110404 IPEDS survey data for California Institute of Technology.
FAQs
Does California Institute of Technology prefer SAT or ACT?
68% of students submit their SAT scores to Caltech. 52% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.
What is my chance of getting into California Institute of Technology?
7% of those who apply are granted admission to Caltech. Admission competition is extreme and the college has elite admission standards. See if your grades and scores are good enough for admission.
What SAT score is required for California Institute of Technology?
The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1530 and 1580. 68% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.
What ACT score is required for California Institute of Technology?
The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 35 and 36. 52% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.