Caltech vs. UC Berkeley

Should I go to California Institute of Technology or University of California Berkeley? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Caltech or UC Berkeley 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

UCLA Cal Poly Stanford UCSD UT Austin UC Davis Michigan UCSB UCI USC MIT Georgia Tech
California Institute of Technology vs. University of California Berkeley comparison
California Institute of Technology University of California Berkeley College 3 College 4
California Institute of Technology University of California Berkeley
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Caltech UC Berkeley
Location Pasadena, CA Berkeley, CA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 2,401 45,307
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #63
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu berkeley.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech UC Berkeley
Tuition (In State) $58,479 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $58,479 $41,636
Room & Board $18,606 $21,402
Avg Net Price $20,755 $19,257
Avg Grant Aid $59,192 $21,669
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 52%

Admission

Caltech UC Berkeley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,626 128,209
Admitted 448 14,523
Acceptance Rate 2.7% 11.3%
Enrolled % 50% 46.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.87
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 35/36 30/35
SAT Range 1530/1580 1310/1530
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 UC Berkeley
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)

Outcomes

Caltech UC Berkeley
Graduation Rate 87% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $74,700
Making Student Loan Payments - 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $14,200
Median Loan Payment $148 $146

Diversity

Caltech UC Berkeley
% Men 61% 46%
% Women 39% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 27%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 12% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 8% 14%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Caltech UC Berkeley
% In-State 29% 78%
% Out-of-State 58% 11%

Campus

Caltech UC Berkeley
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

  • University of California Berkeley is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (45,307 students vs. 2,401 students)

Caltech vs. UC Berkeley Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or UC Berkeley?

  • California Institute of Technology is 405.7% more expensive to attend than UC Berkeley for in-state tuition ($58,479.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 40.5% higher at Caltech than University of California Berkeley ($58,479.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Berkeley than Caltech ($19,257 vs. $20,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of Technology are 15% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($18,606 vs. $21,402)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California Institute of Technology than University of California Berkeley (57% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 173.2% larger than aid received University of California Berkeley ($59,192 vs. $21,669)

Caltech vs. UC Berkeley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 147 points higher than at UC Berkeley (1397)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at UC Berkeley (32)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at UC Berkeley (3.87)
  • UC Berkeley has a higher acceptance rate (11.3%) than Caltech (2.7%)

Caltech vs. UC Berkeley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Caltech or UC Berkeley? 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 UC Berkeley and Caltech.

  • The graduation rate at UC Berkeley is higher than California Institute of Technology (90% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $11,100 more per year than UC Berkeley graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $74,700)
  • University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $150 lower median federal student loan debt than Caltech graduates. ($14,200 vs. $14,350)
  • UC Berkeley graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Caltech graduates. ($146 vs. $148)

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