Caltech vs. UC Davis

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

Caltech UC Davis
Location Pasadena, CA Davis, CA
Setting Midsize City Small Suburban
Enrollment 2,463 39,707
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #6 #99
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu ucdavis.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech UC Davis
Tuition (In State) $60,816 $11,834
Tuition (Out of State) $60,816 $42,611
Room & Board $19,503 $19,068
Avg Net Price $23,397 $17,315
Avg Grant Aid $60,201 $21,258
% Receiving Grant Aid 55% 51%

Admission

Caltech UC Davis
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,107 94,637
Admitted 412 39,400
Acceptance Rate 3.1% 41.6%
Enrolled % 64.6% 16.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 4.0
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 35/36 25/33
SAT Range 1530/1580 1160/1400
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, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Caltech UC Davis
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Biology (19%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (5%)

Outcomes

Caltech UC Davis
Graduation Rate 87% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $65,200
Making Student Loan Payments - 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $14,676
Median Loan Payment $148 $151

Diversity

Caltech UC Davis
% Men 38% 9%
% Women 21% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 28%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 12% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 8% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Caltech UC Davis
% In-State 30% 79%
% Out-of-State 51% 5%

Campus

Caltech UC Davis
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 Davis is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (39,707 students vs. 2,463 students)

Caltech vs. UC Davis Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or UC Davis?

  • California Institute of Technology is 413.9% more expensive to attend than UC Davis for in-state tuition ($60,816.00 vs. $11,834.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42.7% higher at Caltech than University of California Davis ($60,816.00 vs. $42,611.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Davis than Caltech ($17,315 vs. $23,397)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Davis are 2.3% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($19,068 vs. $19,503)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California Institute of Technology than University of California Davis (55% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 183.2% larger than aid received University of California Davis ($60,201 vs. $21,258)

Caltech vs. UC Davis Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 318 points higher than at UC Davis (1226)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at UC Davis (28)
  • Accepted freshman UC Davis students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Caltech (3.97)
  • UC Davis has a higher acceptance rate (41.6%) than Caltech (3.1%)

Caltech vs. UC Davis Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than University of California Davis (87% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $20,600 more per year than UC Davis graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $65,200)
  • California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $326 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Davis graduates. ($14,350 vs. $14,676)
  • Caltech graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than UC Davis graduates. ($148 vs. $151)

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