California Institute of Technology
Caltech
Pasadena, California 91125
Data last updated: August 29, 2026
Among the most selective in the Northeast — top graduate earnings
California Institute of Technology is a private institution in Pasadena with particular strength in engineering and computer science.
A small campus of 1K undergraduates with a 3:1 student-faculty ratio. The urban location puts students at the center of city life.
93% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $128,566 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $18,902.
Rankings
More About This School
Varsity Sports
History & Fun Facts
- •1897–1900s Caltech started as a vocational school founded in present-day Old Pasadena on Fair Oaks Avenue and Chestnut Street on September 23, 1891, by local businessman and politician Amos G.
- •The school was known successively as Throop University, Throop Polytechnic Institute (and Manual Training School) and Throop College of Technology before acquiring its current name in 1920.
- •The vocational school was disbanded and the preparatory program was split off to form the independent Polytechnic School in 1907.
- •At a time when scientific research in the United States was still in its infancy, George Ellery Hale, a solar astronomer from the University of Chicago, founded the Mount Wilson Observatory in 1904.
- •He joined Throop's board of trustees in 1907, and soon began developing the university, and the whole of Pasadena, into a major scientific and cultural destination.
Source: Wikipedia
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Admissions
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard / IPEDS.
Typical Application Requirements
Cost & Financial Aid
Sticker Price
Net Price by Family Income
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Net price reflects most recent cohort of federally-aided undergraduates.
Debt & Aid Detail
Net Price Trend
Tuition Trend
Graduate w/ Zero Debt
96.0%
Avg Tuition Increase
4.8%/yr
Median Debt at Grad
$12,000
Programs (82)
Outcomes
Median Earnings After Graduation
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings reflect federally-aided students 6 and 10 years after entry.
Student Life
Student Satisfaction
Retention Rate
98%
Student Body
Race & Ethnicity
Campus Safety
Total Incidents (2024)
8
Peer Average
13
3-Year Trend
Emergency System
Campus security, emergency notification system
Incident Breakdown (2024)
Burglary
Aggravated Assault
Robbery
Motor Vehicle Theft
Sex Offenses
Arson
Drug Arrests
Liquor Arrests
Source: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety & Security data (Clery Act, 2024 reporting year).
Location & Lifestyle
Cost of Living
Estimated from CA state average + city premium