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TCU Cal Poly Baylor Stanford UT Austin UT Dallas Texas A&M Tulane MIT Rice HMC Trinity| California Institute of Technology | Southern Methodist University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Caltech | SMU | ||
| Location | Pasadena, CA | Dallas, TX | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 2,401 | 12,053 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #5 | #67 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | United Methodist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | caltech.edu | smu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Caltech | SMU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $58,479 | $55,012 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,479 | $55,012 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,606 | $17,750 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,755 | $45,094 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $59,192 | $35,344 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 57% | 73% |
Admission |
Caltech | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 16,626 | 16,150 | ||
| Admitted | 448 | 8,439 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 2.7% | 52.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 50% | 19.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Low | ||
| 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 15, 2024 |
Academics |
Caltech | SMU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 3:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Caltech | SMU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 75% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $85,800 | $73,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | - | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,350 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $148 | $222 |
Diversity |
Caltech | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 61% | 50% | ||
| % Women | 39% | 50% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 65% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 8% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 0% |
Students |
Caltech | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 29% | 38% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 58% | 58% | ||
Campus |
Caltech | SMU | ||
| 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
- Southern Methodist University is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (12,053 students vs. 2,401 students)
Caltech vs. SMU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Caltech or SMU?
- California Institute of Technology is 6.3% more expensive to attend than SMU for in-state tuition ($58,479.00 vs. $55,012.00)
- Out of state tuition is 6.3% higher at Caltech than Southern Methodist University ($58,479.00 vs. $55,012.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than SMU ($20,755 vs. $45,094)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Methodist University are 4.8% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($17,750 vs. $18,606)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Methodist University than California Institute of Technology (73% vs. 57%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 67.5% larger than aid received Southern Methodist University ($59,192 vs. $35,344)
Caltech vs. SMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Caltech or SMU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SMU or Caltech .
- The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 214 points higher than at SMU (1330)
- Incoming Caltech students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at SMU (30)
- Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at SMU (3.68)
- SMU has a higher acceptance rate (52.3%) than Caltech (2.7%)
Caltech vs. SMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Caltech or SMU? 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 SMU and Caltech.
- The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than Southern Methodist University (87% vs. 75%)
- Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $12,800 more per year than SMU graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $73,000)
- California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $7,150 lower median federal student loan debt than SMU graduates. ($14,350 vs. $21,500)
- Caltech graduates are paying $74 less per month on federal student loans than SMU graduates. ($148 vs. $222)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/