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California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology admits 3 of every 100 applicants — a reach school for nearly everyone applying to California Institute of Technology, whatever the rest of the profile says.
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California Institute of Technology sits in Pasadena proper — a private campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. International students are a visible presence here — 14.1% of undergraduates come from outside the U.S.
Faculty pay averages $287,916 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 987 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 97.4% of first-years come back for a second year.
California Institute of Technology won't look at test scores — here the GPA calculator is the tool that matters. Bring your saved semester numbers and see what they average.
Admissions
California Institute of Technology does not use test scores in admissions at all: the 2.6% who got into California Institute of Technology did it on GPA, coursework and application alone. No score range exists to publish.
In the Fall 2023 cycle, California Institute of Technology received 13,107 applications and admitted 412 (3.1%), with 266 enrolling.
How California Institute of Technology compares
| California Institute of Technology | California median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 2.6% | 75.7% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $65,898 | $23,000 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $128,566 | $64,778 | $53,781 |
Ten years after enrolling, the median California Institute of Technology student earns $128,566 — 98% above the California median of $64,778 for college-goers.
Cost, size & completion
California Institute of Technology lists tuition at $65,898 for everyone — private schools don't do residency pricing. California Institute of Technology's sticker and net price can differ sharply after aid; treat $65,898 as the ceiling, not the bill.
With 987 undergraduates, California Institute of Technology is small enough that class size and faculty access are structural, not marketing claims.
94.4% of California Institute of Technology students finish a bachelor's within six years — 39.5 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $65,898 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for California Institute of Technology?
California Institute of Technology doesn't look at test scores; its 2.6% admission rate turned on transcripts, coursework rigor and the application itself.
What is California Institute of Technology's acceptance rate?
3.1% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 412 admitted from 13,107 applicants.
How much does California Institute of Technology cost?
At California Institute of Technology, published tuition is $65,898 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is California Institute of Technology's ceiling, not a quote.
What do California Institute of Technology graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $128,566 ten years after enrolling.
Similar colleges in California
- Alliant International University-San Diego — 0% admitted
- University of California-Berkeley — 11% admitted
- University of California-Los Angeles — 9% admitted
- Claremont McKenna College — 9.6% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.