Caltech vs. Oxy

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

Caltech Oxy
Location Pasadena, CA Los Angeles, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 2,401 1,942
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #72
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu oxy.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech Oxy
Tuition (In State) $58,479 $59,970
Tuition (Out of State) $58,479 $59,970
Room & Board $18,606 $17,330
Avg Net Price $20,755 $44,853
Avg Grant Aid $59,192 $33,025
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 76%

Admission

Caltech Oxy
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,626 6,305
Admitted 448 2,484
Acceptance Rate 2.7% 39.4%
Enrolled % 50% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.63
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme High
ACT Range 35/36 31/34
SAT Range 1530/1580 1370/1510
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 10, 2024

Academics

Caltech Oxy
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)

Outcomes

Caltech Oxy
Graduation Rate 87% 83%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $56,600
Making Student Loan Payments - 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $23,652
Median Loan Payment $148 $244

Diversity

Caltech Oxy
% Men 61% 41%
% Women 39% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 49%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 12% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 9%
% International 8% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Caltech Oxy
% In-State 29% 34%
% Out-of-State 58% 61%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California Institute of Technology is larger than than Oxy based on total student enrollment (2,401 students vs. 1,942 students)

Caltech vs. Oxy Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Oxy?

  • Occidental College is 2.5% more expensive to attend than Caltech for in-state tuition ($59,970.00 vs. $58,479.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.5% higher at Oxy than California Institute of Technology ($59,970.00 vs. $58,479.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than Oxy ($20,755 vs. $44,853)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Occidental College are 7.4% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($17,330 vs. $18,606)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Occidental College than California Institute of Technology (76% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 79.2% larger than aid received Occidental College ($59,192 vs. $33,025)

Caltech vs. Oxy Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 240 points higher than at Oxy (1304)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Oxy (30)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Oxy (3.63)
  • Oxy has a higher acceptance rate (39.4%) than Caltech (2.7%)

Caltech vs. Oxy Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than Occidental College (87% vs. 83%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $29,200 more per year than Oxy graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $56,600)
  • California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $9,302 lower median federal student loan debt than Oxy graduates. ($14,350 vs. $23,652)
  • Caltech graduates are paying $96 less per month on federal student loans than Oxy graduates. ($148 vs. $244)

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