Caltech vs. USD

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

Caltech USD
Location Pasadena, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 2,401 8,815
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #5
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu sandiego.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech USD
Tuition (In State) $58,479 $53,810
Tuition (Out of State) $58,479 $53,810
Room & Board $18,606 $17,010
Avg Net Price $20,755 $36,008
Avg Grant Aid $59,192 $36,408
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 83%

Admission

Caltech USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,626 14,334
Admitted 448 7,541
Acceptance Rate 2.7% 52.6%
Enrolled % 50% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.95
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Unavailable
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 35/36
SAT Range 1530/1580
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 Dec 15, 2023

Academics

Caltech USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Caltech USD
Graduation Rate 87% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $70,200
Making Student Loan Payments - 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $22,904
Median Loan Payment $148 $236

Diversity

Caltech USD
% Men 61% 43%
% Women 39% 57%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 53%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 12% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 8% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Caltech USD
% In-State 29% 55%
% Out-of-State 58% 40%

Campus

Caltech USD
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 San Diego is larger than than Caltech based on total student enrollment (8,815 students vs. 2,401 students)

Caltech vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or USD?

  • California Institute of Technology is 8.7% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($58,479.00 vs. $53,810.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.7% higher at Caltech than University of San Diego ($58,479.00 vs. $53,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California Institute of Technology than USD ($20,755 vs. $36,008)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Diego are 9.4% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($17,010 vs. $18,606)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Diego than California Institute of Technology (83% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 62.6% larger than aid received University of San Diego ($59,192 vs. $36,408)

Caltech vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 308 points higher than at USD (1236)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at USD (28)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at USD (3.95)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (52.6%) than Caltech (2.7%)

Caltech vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Caltech is higher than University of San Diego (87% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $15,600 more per year than USD graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $70,200)
  • California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $8,554 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($14,350 vs. $22,904)
  • Caltech graduates are paying $88 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($148 vs. $236)

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