Caltech vs. Pomona vs. Cal Poly vs. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

Should I go to California Institute of Technology or Pomona College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Caltech or Pomona 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. Pomona College vs. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo vs. California State Polytechnic University Pomona comparison
California Institute of Technology Pomona College California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo California State Polytechnic University Pomona
California Institute of Technology Pomona College California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo California State Polytechnic University Pomona
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Overview

 Caltech Pomona Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Location Pasadena, CA Claremont, CA San Luis Obispo, CA Pomona, CA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban Small Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 2,463 1,664 22,485 26,848
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #6 #20 #146 #590
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu pomona.edu calpoly.edu csupomona.edu
Team Colors                                        

Costs

 Caltech Pomona Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Tuition (In State) $60,816 $61,906 $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $60,816 $61,906 $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $19,503 $20,374 $17,220 $16,330
Avg Net Price $23,397 $17,423 $16,888 $11,898
Avg Grant Aid $60,201 $63,773 $12,707 $10,441
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 56% 48% 72%

Admission

 Caltech Pomona Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Applied 13,107 12,121 63,736 45,775
Admitted 412 819 18,964 33,737
Acceptance Rate 3.1% 6.8% 29.8% 52.9%
Enrolled % 64.6% 49.8% 27.8% 22.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.89 4.0 3.69
Typical High School Grades A- A- A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Elite Elite Very High Average
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme High Low
ACT Range 35/36 33/35 26/32 19/27
SAT Range 1530/1580 1480/1560 1220/1410 1010/1250
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 3, 2026 Jan 8, 2026 Nov 30, 2025 Nov 30, 2025

Academics

 Caltech Pomona Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 7:1 18:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (9%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Agriculture (15%)
  • Architecture (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Business (41%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Architecture (6%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

 Caltech Pomona Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Graduation Rate 87% 95% 75% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $70,500 $69,400 $55,400
Making Student Loan Payments - - 85% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $11,000 $18,666 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $148 $113 $193 $196

Diversity

 Caltech Pomona Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
% Men 38% 1% 2% 4%
% Women 21% 1% 2% 5%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High High Very High
HBCU No No No No
% White 27% 40% 57% 19%
% Black 2% 7% 1% 3%
% Hispanic 12% 15% 16% 40%
% Native American 0% 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8% 7% 4%
% International 8% 10% 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 6% 5% 4%

Students

 Caltech Pomona Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
% In-State 30% 30% 86% 98%
% Out-of-State 51% 51% 14% 1%

Campus

 Caltech Pomona Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No No No
Daycare Facility Yes No Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California Institute of Technology is larger than than Pomona based on total student enrollment (2,463 students vs. 1,664 students)

Caltech vs. Pomona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Pomona?

  • Pomona College is 1.8% more expensive to attend than Caltech for in-state tuition ($61,906.00 vs. $60,816.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.8% higher at Pomona than California Institute of Technology ($61,906.00 vs. $60,816.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pomona College than Caltech ($17,423 vs. $23,397)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of Technology are 4.5% lower than costs at Pomona College ($19,503 vs. $20,374)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pomona College than California Institute of Technology (56% vs. 55%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pomona College students is 5.9% larger than aid received California Institute of Technology ($63,773 vs. $60,201)

Caltech vs. Pomona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 109 points higher than at Pomona (1435)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Pomona (32)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Pomona (3.89)
  • Pomona has a higher acceptance rate (6.8%) than Caltech (3.1%)

Caltech vs. Pomona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Pomona is higher than California Institute of Technology (95% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $15,300 more per year than Pomona graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $70,500)
  • Pomona College students graduate with a $3,350 lower median federal student loan debt than Caltech graduates. ($11,000 vs. $14,350)
  • Pomona graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than Caltech graduates. ($113 vs. $148)

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