Caltech vs. MIT

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

Caltech MIT
Location Pasadena, CA Cambridge, MA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 2,401 11,858
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #8
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu mit.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech MIT
Tuition (In State) $58,479 $57,590
Tuition (Out of State) $58,479 $57,590
Room & Board $18,606 $18,790
Avg Net Price $20,755 $20,232
Avg Grant Aid $59,192 $45,591
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 71%

Admission

Caltech MIT
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,626 33,767
Admitted 448 1,337
Acceptance Rate 2.7% 4%
Enrolled % 50% 85%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 35/36 35/36
SAT Range 1530/1580 1530/1580
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jan 3, 2024 Jan 1, 2024

Academics

Caltech MIT
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 3:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Physical Sciences (10%)
  • Mathematics (8%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

Caltech MIT
Graduation Rate 87% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $142,100
Making Student Loan Payments - 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $17,316
Median Loan Payment $148 $179

Diversity

Caltech MIT
% Men 61% 57%
% Women 39% 43%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 37%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 12% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 8% 10%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Caltech MIT
% In-State 29% 7%
% Out-of-State 58% 81%

Campus

Caltech MIT
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

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (11,858 students vs. 2,401 students)

Caltech vs. MIT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or MIT?

  • California Institute of Technology is 1.5% more expensive to attend than MIT for in-state tuition ($58,479.00 vs. $57,590.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.5% higher at Caltech than Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($58,479.00 vs. $57,590.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than Caltech ($20,232 vs. $20,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of Technology are 1% lower than costs at Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($18,606 vs. $18,790)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than California Institute of Technology (71% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 29.8% larger than aid received Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($59,192 vs. $45,591)

Caltech vs. MIT Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 37 points higher than at MIT (1507)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at MIT (34)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at MIT (3.96)
  • MIT has a higher acceptance rate (4%) than Caltech (2.7%)

Caltech vs. MIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MIT is higher than California Institute of Technology (93% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Massachusetts Institute of Technology earn on average $56,300 more per year than Caltech graduates after ten years. ($142,100 vs. $85,800)
  • California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $2,966 lower median federal student loan debt than MIT graduates. ($14,350 vs. $17,316)
  • Caltech graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than MIT graduates. ($148 vs. $179)

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