California Institute of Technology
#2 Best Colleges in California- Graduation Rate
- 94% A+
- Most students who enroll finish their degree here
- Earnings (10yr)
- $128,566 A+
- Top 1% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $16,075 C
- Close to the national average
- Acceptance Rate
- 3% A+
- Rejects about 97 of every 100 applicants
Bottom line: An A overall grade — top 10% of all U.S. colleges on outcomes. 38.9× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $38.9 over 20 years. Ranked #2 in Best Colleges in California.
Every $1 spent returns $38.9 over 20 years. Net gain: $2,438,918.
What The Data Says
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An A overall — top 10% of all U.S. colleges on measured outcomes.
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Graduates earn 215% more than the national college median.
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A 94% graduation rate — 64% above the national average.
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Inventor rate in the top 2% nationally — patents, startups, and new technology flow from its graduates.
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Social mobility rate of 3.18% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 13.7%
- Top 2%
- Patents
- 280
- Linked to graduates
- World Rank
- #2
- Times Higher Education
- Patent Citations
- 440
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 98/100
- Times Higher Education
Why California Institute of Technology Matters
California Institute of Technology is a private research university in Pasadena, CA ranked #2 in the world by Times Higher Education, and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by exceptional admissions selectivity, a top-tier research enterprise, an unusually high rate of inventors and patents, a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network, and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 1% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Research University
- Carnegie Class
- R1 · Very High Research
- Enrollment
- 987
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Computer Science & IT, Engineering, Physical Sciences, Mathematics & Statistics
Why students choose California Institute of Technology
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Highly selective — admits about 3% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $16,075 a year after grants and scholarships — 6% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $128,566 ten years after enrolling — 215% above the typical college.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 3.2% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 9% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.84 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
California Institute of Technology has an acceptance rate of just 3%, making it one of the most selective schools in the nation. This reflects high demand for its rigorous academic programs and small class sizes, with an enrollment of only 987 students.
Graduates from Caltech earn a median income of $128,566 within ten years of graduation. This significant earning potential indicates strong career outcomes for its alumni. While specific mobility data is not available, the school's focus on STEM fields suggests that students are well-prepared for high-paying jobs in technology and engineering.
The net price for attending Caltech is $16,075, which is relatively low for a private institution of its caliber. While 18% of students receive Pell Grants, indicating some level of financial need, the absence of debt data makes it difficult to assess long-term financial impact. Students who thrive here are typically those with a strong foundation in math and science, ready to engage in a demanding academic environment.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective California Institute of Technology is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into California Institute of Technology? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
California Institute of Technology, located in Pasadena, California, turns away the vast majority of its applicants. The acceptance rate is 3%. The graduation rate is roughly 94%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 3%
- Retention Rate
- 97%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 91%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $23,993
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 3:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.78
- Applicants
- 16,626
- Admitted
- 448
Inside the Admissions Office
School-reported Common Data Set · 2024-25
The acceptance rate tells you how hard California Institute of Technology is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds. 61% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school more than half of admitted students choose.
- Yield Rate
- 61%
- of admits enroll
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend California Institute of Technology? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at California Institute of Technology is $65,898, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $16,075. For the lowest-income families, those earning under $30,000, need-based grants can fully cover tuition, leaving little or nothing to pay out of pocket.
- In-State Tuition
- $65,898
- Out-of-State
- $65,898
- Avg Net Price
- $16,075
- Pell Grant Rate
- 18%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 4%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $-2,133
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $-2,886
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $431
- Family Income $110K+
- $54,157
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at California Institute of Technology — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is California Institute of Technology Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of California Institute of Technology earn a median of $128,566, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $132,140
- 8 Years
- $142,597
- 10 Years
- $128,566
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 41%
- Earning > $25K
- 81%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (194)
- 86%
- 100% (194)
- 86%
- 100% (194)
- 86%
- 100% (194)
- 86%
How California Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is California Institute of Technology Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, California Institute of Technology delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $16,075/year ($64,300 total). Graduates earn $128,566 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,503,218 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,438,918 (38.9× your investment).. With a 94% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $64,300
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $2,503,218
- Net Return
- $2,438,918
- ROI Multiple
- 38.9×
- Cost Per Year
- $16,075
- Graduation Rate
- 94%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does California Institute of Technology Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
California Institute of Technology is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.18%, among the highest in the country. About 4.8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 66.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $124,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 3.18%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 66.1%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 4.8%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $169,152
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Research & Teaching
Data: Times Higher Education World University Rankings
How Research-Intensive Is California Institute of Technology? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
Times Higher Education places California Institute of Technology at #2 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 98/100, teaching at 98/100, and citation impact of 100/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
- World Rank
- #2
- Teaching
- 97.7
- Research
- 98
- Citations
- 99.9
- International
- 54.6
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
California Institute of Technology produces inventors at an exceptional rate — the top 2% of U.S. colleges, with 280 patents tied to its graduates, and ranks among research universities with a 98/100 research score.
- Inventor Rate
- 13.70%
- Top 2% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 280
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 440
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 98/100
- Times Higher Ed
- Academic Influence
- 100/100
- Citation impact (THE)
- Industry Engagement
- 84/100
- Knowledge transfer (THE)
- Inventors From Low-Income
- 7.41%
- Bottom-20% families
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-624,087,000
Top Programs
The fields California Institute of Technology awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Computer Science & IT 35% $154,100 early-career
- Engineering 28% $98,830 early-career
- Physical Sciences 15% $106,789 early-career
- Mathematics & Statistics 12%
- Biology & Biomedical 8%
- Business & Marketing 1%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for California Institute of Technology's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-AI/ML Engineer$156,000 · 23% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Computer Vision Engineer$145,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CPhysicist$142,850 · 5% growthAdaptable 66
- CAstronomer$142,850 · 4% growthAdaptable 66
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into California Institute of Technology? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
California Institute of Technology, located in Pasadena, California, turns away the vast majority of its applicants. The acceptance rate is 3%. The graduation rate is roughly 94%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend California Institute of Technology? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at California Institute of Technology is $65,898, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $16,075. For the lowest-income families, those earning under $30,000, need-based grants can fully cover tuition, leaving little or nothing to pay out of pocket.
Is California Institute of Technology Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of California Institute of Technology earn a median of $128,566, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
Does California Institute of Technology Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
California Institute of Technology is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.18%, among the highest in the country. About 4.8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 66.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $124,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is California Institute of Technology? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at California Institute of Technology. Its economic connectedness score is 1.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
How Research-Intensive Is California Institute of Technology? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
Times Higher Education places California Institute of Technology at #2 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 98/100, teaching at 98/100, and citation impact of 100/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
Does California Institute of Technology offer Early Decision?
No. California Institute of Technology does not report a binding Early Decision plan (2024-25 Common Data Set).
What percentage of admitted students enroll at California Institute of Technology?
About 61% of admitted students choose to enroll at California Institute of Technology — its yield rate (2024-25 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to California Institute of Technology.
- Harvey Mudd CollegeClaremont, CA · Close peer93% grad $138,687 earn 13% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Claremont McKenna CollegeClaremont, CA · Close peer93% grad $104,736 earn 10% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · same state
- Stanford UniversityStanford, CA · Close peer92% grad $124,080 earn 4% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA · Close peer96% grad $143,372 earn 5% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Franklin W Olin College of EngineeringNeedham, MA · Strong match94% grad $129,455 earn 25% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Babson CollegeWellesley, MA · Strong match93% grad $123,938 earn 17% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is California Institute of Technology? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at California Institute of Technology. Its economic connectedness score is 1.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note