California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA1200 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125
626-395-6811
The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is a world-renowned private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has a strong emphasis on science and engineering, and is often ranked as one of the top universities in the world for these disciplines. Its 124-acre (50 ha) campus is home to around 2,200 students, and its faculty and alumni include 33 Nobel laureates, 13 Fields Medalists, and 6 Turing Award winners.
Caltech was founded in 1891 as the Throop University by Amos G. Throop, a prominent businessman and philanthropist. Throop sold the university to its trustees in 1912 and it was renamed the California Institute of Technology. The university experienced rapid growth in the 1920s, thanks to generous funding from the likes of George Ellery Hale, Robert A. Millikan, and Edwin Hubble.
Caltech's research programs are organized into six main divisions: Biology and Biological Engineering; Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Engineering and Applied Science; Geological and Planetary Sciences; the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences; and Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy. The university also operates several world-renowned research facilities, including the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Caltech Seismological Laboratory, and the Owens Valley Radio Observatory.
Caltech is a highly selective university, with an acceptance rate of just 8%. It is also one of the most expensive universities in the US, with tuition and fees totaling over $50,000 per year. Financial aid is available for eligible students, and Caltech has a need-blind admissions policy for US citizens and permanent residents.
Quick Facts
Enrollment: 2240
Acceptance Rate: 6.69%
Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
Main Website: https://www.caltech.edu/
Financial Aid: https://www.finaid.caltech.edu/
Annual Costs
Total Cost In-State On-Campus: $77718
Total Cost Out-State On-Campus: $77718
Return on Investment Rating
The estimated cost for four years as an undergraduate at California Institute of Technology is $268993.26. This includes the average cost of attendance for four years plus the interest on the average loan over a ten year repayment minus the average of grants and scholarships per student.
We then contrast this figure with average early-career and mid-career average incomes of graduates of four year programs at California Institute of Technology. For graduates of California Institute of Technology, we saw an average early-career income of $93100.00 and mid-career income of $153100.00. We then ranked the school's value based on how many years of mid-career income it takes to repay the educational costs.