Caltech Acceptance Rate 2023, Admissions, SAT/ACT, GPA, Tuition, Rankings

The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is becoming more selective with its acceptance rate reducing by 2.8%.

Caltech is one of the most selective private research universities in the world. It receives thousands of applications each year and admits only a few students into its academic programs.

Caltech is a research institute situated in Pasadena, California. The institute focuses on engineering and applied sciences and has over 50 research institutes and centres. Caltech is a mid-sized institution with over 2,000 students in six different academic divisions.

If you want to find out about the admission process for both domestic and international students, graduates, tuition, application requirements, and much more. Kindly read this article for facts, insight, and statistics about the aforementioned.

Californian Institute of Technology (Caltech)

The California Institute of Technology is a private research institution located in Pasadena California. Caltech was established in 1891 as a preparatory school by its founder Amos G. Throop.

The California Institute of Technology sits on 124 acres with an enrollment of almost 2,400 undergraduates and postgraduates.

Caltech is a renowned research institution leading innovation in science and engineering. The university is among the few institutes of technology in the United States that focus more on providing pure and applied sciences.

Currently, there are 6 academic divisions at Caltech which consist of graduate programs such as Biology and Biological Engineering, Chemistry, and Chemical Engineering, Geological and Planetary Sciences, Engineering and Applied Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy.

The University provides a housing system for its students and all first-year students are required to reside on campus.

Caltech is an institute that concentrates on innovative techniques in engineering and applied sciences. It engages about 80% of its undergraduate students in research, expatiating knowledge in technological advancements.

The California Institute of Technology has about fifty research institutes and facilities aimed at providing state-of-the-art resources for advanced technological feats. Caltech operates a Jet Propulsion Laboratory owned by NASA which is also a center for robotic exploration.

Here is A List of Some of The Research Centers and institutes at Caltech.

Beckman Institute
Tianqiao and Christy and Chen Institute for Neuroscience at Caltech
The Kavli Nanoscience Institute
Richard N. Merkin Institute for Translational Research
Resnick Sustainability Institute
Donna and Benjamin M. Rosen Bioengineering Center
Centre for Autonomous Systems and Technologies
Einstein Papers Project
Institute for Quantum Information and Matter
W.M. Keck Observatory
Laser International Gravitational-wave Observatory
Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis
Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (IPAC)

California Institute of Technology Data

Here is a holistic statistics for undergraduate and graduate students, academic staff, and different levels of degrees awarded at Caltech.

Total number of students: 2,233
Total number of academic staff: 353
Number of undergraduate degrees awarded: 240
Number of doctoral degrees awarded: 207
Number of new undergraduate students: 231
Number of new doctoral students: 233
Number of international students: 755
Number of international staff: 103
Number of master’s degrees awarded: 139
Number of research-only staff: 629
Number of new master’s students: 17

Also Read: 25 Best Schools For Engineering in the World

Caltech (California Institute of Technology) Acceptance Rate

California Institute of Technology is one of the most selective universities in the United States.

Caltech’s acceptance rate in 2020 was 6.7%. This was after the private university admitted 536 students from an applicant pool of 8,007. The following year, Caltech receive more applications and accepted only 510 students.

The acceptance rate at Caltech in that admission year was 3.9. Caltech received thousands of applications each year, only to admit less than 500 students.

Currently, the university only accepted 412 first-year applications from 365 schools. According to Caltech, 17% of the newly admitted students are first-generation college students. And 64% of the new students were admitted from public high schools.

California Institute of Technology (Caltech) GPA Requirement

Caltech is extremely selective in its admission process and one would expect the average GPA to get into Caltech to be competitive.

The required average GPA at the California Institute of Technology is 4.19. Each year Caltech receives thousands of applications and only about 200+ of those applications are accepted.

The acceptance rate and GPA requirement at Caltech demand that you be at the top of your class. On average you need will need more A’ than B’s to stand a chance of competing with other applicants.

SAT Requirement

With such a rate of selectivity in its admission process, Caltech requires an average SAT of 1545 on the New 1600 SAT scale.

With the new SAT scale, 1530 is the New SAT score for the 25th percentile, while that of the 75th percentile is 1570. An SAT score of 1530 is considered below average and 1570 is above average on the New SAT.

Here is a holistic statistics of the New SAT scores

Section	Average	25^th Percentile	75^th Percentile
Math	795	790	800
Reading + Writing	750	740	760
Composite	1545	1530	1570

ACT Requirement

ACT Range: 35-36

California Institute of Technology requires an average ACT score of 36. This rate of ACT scores signifies how competitive getting into Caltech is.

ACT Score	Percentile
36	75^th
35	25^th

Application Requirements for First-Year Students at California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

Caltech’s admission process is selective for all applicants. These are the requirements for all first-year applicants.

You can apply to the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) through the Common Application, Coalition Application, or Supplemental Application Essay. Caltech accepts all applications sent through the Common Application or Coalition Application. These application portals are reliable and Caltech highly recommends that you chose the best application platform.

Caltech also collaborates with QuestBridge and students can apply for Caltech via the QuestBridge National College Match.

An application fee of $75 or a waiver fee
Standardized Test Scores (SAT/ACT): Caltech implemented a two-year moratorium in June 2020 on the requirement and consideration of SAT/ACT scores as part of the admission process for undergraduates. However, the two-year moratorium was extended a year further. In January 2020, Caltech removed the SAT Subject Test from its admission requirements.
Teacher’s evaluation: Have two teachers of two different subjects write a letter of evaluation for you. Caltech requires these letters of evaluation to be written by a math or science teacher. Additionally, the letters can also be written by a humanities or social sciences teacher.
Secondary School Report: Caltech requires all first-year applicants to send their high school documents to the Admission Committee. These documents must be sent by your school counsellor to Caltech to aid the university in evaluating your application collectively.

Also Read: 25 Cheapest Universities in USA for International Students

Application Deadline for First-Year Applicants

California Institute of Technology provides two rounds of admission for all first-year applicants which are Early Decision and Regular Decision.

Here are the application deadlines for first-year students.

Action	Deadline date
Early Action	November 1st, 2021
Regular Decision	January 3^rd, 2022
Early Action and Regular Decision admit reply	May 1^st, 2022

Early Action Decision Notification: Mid-December
Regular Decision Notification: Mid-March

Application Requirements and Deadlines for Graduates

Caltech offers a wide range of degree programs at undergraduate and graduate levels. And for graduates who want to apply to Caltech, here are the requirements to fulfil.

All graduate applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree
Graduate applicants with a PhD degree will not be considered for a second Doctoral degree
Applicants must provide transcripts from a college or university attended
Three letters of recommendation
Applicant statement of purpose for application evaluation
A résumé
All applicants are expected to read, write and speak and understand the English language. This requirement is for applicants whose native language is not English or applicants who earned a degree from a university where English was not used to give instruction. Caltech requires such applicants to take English proficiency tests such as TOEFL, PTE, or IETLS.

Application Requirements for International Students

Each year, the California Institute of Technology receives thousands of applications, and only hundreds of those applications are accepted. This is because of the acceptance rate at Caltech which is highly selective.

However, some of the applications received at Caltech are from outside the borders of the United States. If you are an international student, here are the application requirements at Caltech.

The application requirement applies to both non-U.S citizens and non- U.S permanent residents.

All international applicants must have completed the academic preparation required by Caltech while still in secondary school
Caltech accepts applications from international students that have completed a curriculum approved by the government in their country

The curriculum includes

IGCSE, AS, and A level CurriculumInternational Baccalaureate (IB)
Advanced Placement (AP)
Cambridge Pre-U
Other local public options

Also note that Caltech does not grant credit for IB, AP, A-Level, Pre-U, or courses taken before your enrollment. Every international applicant accepted at Caltech will sit for math and physics placement exams.

Also Read: Australian Study Requirement

California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Rankings

Caltech’s reputation and prestige have led the institution to occupy notable positions in recent rankings.

#9 in Best Global Universities (U.S. News & World Report)
- #1 in Optics
- #5 in Physics
- #1 in Space Science
- #1 in Geosciences
#15 QS World University Rankings
#6 in World University Rankings (Times Higher Education)

Caltech Tuition and Fees

To find out the cost of attendance for undergraduate students currently enrolled at Caltech. Kindly visit Caltech’s official website via the link below.

For graduate students enrolled at Caltech. Here is a statistics for the cost of attendance.


	On-Campus (single)	On-Campus (shared 2-bedroom)	On-Campus (shared 4-bedroom)	Off-Campus (shared 2-bedroom)
Room	$15,960	$9,420	$7,920	$15,300
Food	$9,125	$9,125	$9,125	$9,125
Utilities	$1,200	$1,200	$1,200	$1,800
Books/Supplies	$1,400	$1,400	$1,400	$1,400
Personal Expenses	$4,674	$4,674	$4,674	$4,674
Transportation	$2,400	$2,400	$2,400	$2,400
SUBTOTAL	$34,759	$28,219	$26,719	$34,699

Tuition	$56,364	$56,364	$56,364	$56,364
Mandatory Fees	$2,103	$2,103	$2,103	$2,103
TOTAL TUITION AND FEES	$58,467	$58,467	$58,467	$58,467

TOTAL ESTIMATED BUDGET	$93,226	$86,686	$85,186	$93,166

Source: https://www.caltech.edu/

Is Caltech A Good School?

California Institute of Technology is one of the best schools to attend. The university has over 50 research institutes and centres leading in technological advancement and space exploration.

Caltech is an institute that focuses on engineering and applied sciences. Being one of the small institutes of technology in the United States, Caltech operates a Jet Propulsion Laboratory owned by NASA which is beneficial to students in expanding their horizons on technology.

The student enrolled at Caltech are just above 2,000 and this creates a more flexible student-faculty ratio with more first-hand research experience.

Also Read: 10 Best Pre Med Schools in California

How Hard Is it To Get into Caltech?

The acceptance rate at Caltech is 3.9% which simply means out of every 100 applications only 4 are accepted. However, you can increase your chances of getting into Caltech with a good GPA, SAT, and ACT.

Additionally, you can apply for an early decision to also increase your chances of becoming the next freshman at Caltech. Visit the Caltech official website to stay updated on the latest developments about admission.

Caltech Contact Address.

School Address: 1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD PASADENA, CA 91125
Phone: (626) 395-6811

Frequently Asked Questions about Caltech Acceptance Rate.

Below are some of the frequently asked questions about the Caltech admission process.

What GPA is required for Caltech?

Caltech is extremely selective in its admission process. The required average GPA is 4.18.

The GPA requirements at Caltech demand that you be at the top of your class, with more A’s.

How much do Caltech graduates make?

Caltech alumni salary is estimated at $112,166 as of 2018.

Conclusion

Caltech is dedicated to providing the best experiences in technology and space exploration. A university with six academic divisions and over 50 research institutes and centres. Caltech is leading the innovation in engineering and applied sciences.

With a selective acceptance rate, Caltech is only searching for the best students. If you intend to become a freshman at Caltech, your high school grades should share the same optimism with you.

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References

U.S. News & World Report: California Institute of Technology
TopUniversities: California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
Niche: California Institute of Technology Admissions
Caltech.edu: Caltech Extends Admissions Offers to Class of 2027