More selective than 100% of California colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $86,886. College Scorecard.
Higher than 98% of California colleges we cover and 98% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 98% of California colleges we cover and 100% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
California Institute of Technology acceptance rate & admissions
Of 13,107 applicants, California Institute of Technology admitted 412 and 266 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
California Institute of Technology tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: California residents who meet income, asset and GPA standards may receive a Cal Grant (California Student Aid Commission); apply with the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application. Not included in the prices above. California Student Aid Commission
California Institute of Technology majors, earnings & careers
California Institute of Technology offers 25 bachelor's majors across 6 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Engineering · 8
- Science & Math · 8
- Humanities & Languages · 4
- Business & Finance · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 1
Highest-earning majors at California Institute of Technology
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $200,511 | — |
Quick list of all 25 majors
- Applied Mathematics—
- Astronomy and Astrophysics—
- Biology—
- Biomedical Engineering—
- Business Economics—
- Chemical Engineering—
- Chemistry—
- Computer Science$200,511
- Economics—
- Electrical Engineering—
- Engineering—
- Engineering Physics—
- English—
- Environmental Engineering—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- History—
- Information Science / Studies—
- Materials Engineering—
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Neuroscience—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Computer Science → Software developer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Biomedical Engineering → Biomedical engineer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Los Angeles
Overall prices in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $2,964. Housing costs 70% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 19 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); wildfire (very high); river flooding (very high); coastal flooding (relatively high); heat wave (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Los Angeles County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Los Angeles County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare California Institute of Technology with similar schools
Similar private colleges in California by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Institute of Technology | 3% | $16,075 | 94% | $128,566 | This school |
| Pomona College | 7% | $19,285 | 93% | $77,779 | |
| Claremont McKenna College | 10% | $28,849 | 91% | $104,736 | |
| Harvey Mudd College | 13% | $35,924 | 92% | $138,687 | |
| Pitzer College | 25% | $34,191 | 83% | $69,512 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
California Institute of Technology would cost you $3,210 less per year than Pomona College, on average.
- Higher sticker price at California Institute of Technology, mostly from a higher estimate for personal & travel costs (+$1,200).
- California Institute of Technology gives aided families $4,796 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, California resident | California Institute of Technology | Pomona College | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $65,898 | $65,420 | +$478 |
| Books & supplies | $1,428 | $1,100 | +$328 |
| Housing & meals | $19,503 | $20,374 | −$871 |
| Personal & travel | $2,700 | $1,500 | +$1,200 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,643 | −$3,094 | +$451 |
| Sticker price | $86,886 | $85,300 | +$1,586 |
| Average grants | −$70,811 | −$66,015 | −$4,796 |
| You pay | $16,075 | $19,285 | −$3,210 |
“+” means California Institute of Technology costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about California Institute of Technology
What is the California Institute of Technology acceptance rate?
California Institute of Technology accepts 3% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 412 of 13,107 applicants were admitted.
How much does California Institute of Technology cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $86,886 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $16,075 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $0 and families earning $110k+ pay $54,157.
How much do California Institute of Technology graduates earn?
Former California Institute of Technology students earn a median $128,566 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the California Institute of Technology graduation rate?
94% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 97% return for their second year.
Is California Institute of Technology the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “California Institute of Technology: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/california-institute-of-technology (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).