Caltech vs. Cal State Fullerton

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

Caltech Cal State Fullerton
Location Pasadena, CA Fullerton, CA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 2,401 40,386
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #699
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu fullerton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech Cal State Fullerton
Tuition (In State) $58,479 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $58,479 $17,622
Room & Board $18,606 $16,702
Avg Net Price $20,755 $7,925
Avg Grant Aid $59,192 $9,194
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 74%

Admission

Caltech Cal State Fullerton
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,626 48,748
Admitted 448 32,527
Acceptance Rate 2.7% 66.7%
Enrolled % 50% 16.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.77
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Very Easy
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 35/36 18/23
SAT Range 1530/1580 1000/1180
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 3, 2024 Nov 30, 2023

Academics

Caltech Cal State Fullerton
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 24:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Caltech Cal State Fullerton
Graduation Rate 87% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments - 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $148 $155

Diversity

Caltech Cal State Fullerton
% Men 61% 42%
% Women 39% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 22%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 12% 40%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 8% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

Caltech Cal State Fullerton
% In-State 29% 99%
% Out-of-State 58% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Fullerton is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 2,401 students)

Caltech vs. Cal State Fullerton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Cal State Fullerton?

  • California Institute of Technology is 918.4% more expensive to attend than Cal State Fullerton for in-state tuition ($58,479.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 231.9% higher at Caltech than California State University Fullerton ($58,479.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Fullerton than Caltech ($7,925 vs. $20,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fullerton are 11.4% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($16,702 vs. $18,606)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Fullerton than California Institute of Technology (74% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 543.8% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($59,192 vs. $9,194)

Caltech vs. Cal State Fullerton Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 520 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 13 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Cal State Fullerton (22)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Cal State Fullerton (3.77)
  • Cal State Fullerton has a higher acceptance rate (66.7%) than Caltech (2.7%)

Caltech vs. Cal State Fullerton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Caltech or Cal State Fullerton? 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 Cal State Fullerton and Caltech.

  • The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than California State University Fullerton (87% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $36,800 more per year than Cal State Fullerton graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $49,000)
  • California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $650 lower median federal student loan debt than Cal State Fullerton graduates. ($14,350 vs. $15,000)
  • Caltech graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Cal State Fullerton graduates. ($148 vs. $155)

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