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Private

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA
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Admit Rate
3%* (source: College Scorecard · 2024)Ultra-Selective
GPA Range (Unweighted)
3.98 - 4.00
Cost of Attendance
$86,886
per year, before aid
Test Policy
SAT/ACT required† (source: Caltech Undergraduate Admissions · 2026-27 · accessed Oct 20, 2026)

manual: JS-rendered page, which states "Caltech Testing Deadlines for Fall 2027 Entry" — the correct cycle. Caltech places scores into bands ("Bucket A/B") rather than always showing the exact score to the committee; the ACT writing and science subscores are not required.

Data sourced from IPEDS, Institutional Website, for the record as a whole — figures marked with a star are sourced separately, as noted at the bottom of the page. Testing policy and deadlines checked against the college's own pages on Oct 20, 2026.

Preparation

Helpful high school preparation
Multivariable CalculusDifferential EquationsLinear AlgebraAP Physics C: Both

This is helpful preparation, not a formal admission requirement.

Admissions

How admission works here

Where you apply
The Common App. Common App requirements grid
Test scores
SAT or ACT scores are required. manual: JS-rendered page, which states "Caltech Testing Deadlines for Fall 2027 Entry" — the correct cycle. Caltech places scores into bands ("Bucket A/B") rather than always showing the exact score to the committee; the ACT writing and science subscores are not required. Caltech Undergraduate Admissions
Essays
The Common App personal essay is required. Common App requirements grid
Recommendations
2 teacher recommendations, a mid-year report. Common App requirements grid
Application fee
$85. The Common App fee waiver is accepted. Common App requirements grid
Deadlines
Restrictive Early Action November 1 (Restrictive: an REA applicant may not apply EA or ED elsewhere, with stated exceptions including any public institution with a non-binding fall deadline), Regular Decision January 4. Caltech Undergraduate Admissions
Overall
3%* (source: College Scorecard · 2024)
In-State
3%* (source: College Scorecard · 2024)
Out-of-State
3%* (source: College Scorecard · 2024)

Overall is College Scorecard's verified figure and won't necessarily sit between the separately-reported In-State/Out-of-State rates shown here, which are what My Fit uses to classify your chances.

Mid-50% Unweighted GPA
3.98 - 4.00
Mid-50% SAT
1530 - 1580
SAT/ACT required
Top 10 majors
  1. 1Computer Science
  2. 2Mechanical Engineering
  3. 3Physics
  4. 4Electrical Engineering
  5. 5Biomedical Engineering
  6. 6Chemical Engineering
  7. 7Computational Mathematics
  8. 8Mathematics
  9. 9Chemistry
  10. 10Biology

Ordered by how many students graduated in each, 2023-24. Source: U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS Completions survey). Names are the federal categories, so California Institute of Technology may call a major something slightly different.

Applying

Application Deadlines† (source: Caltech Undergraduate Admissions · 2026-27 · accessed Oct 20, 2026)
Restrictive Early Action
November 1 · Non-binding
Restrictive: an REA applicant may not apply EA or ED elsewhere, with stated exceptions including any public institution with a non-binding fall deadline.
Regular Decision
January 4 · Non-binding

Applying through the Common App

Application fee
$85
Common App fee waiver
Accepted
Common App personal essay
Required
Recommendations
2 teacher recommendations, mid-year report

Source: Common App requirements grid, updated 2026-09-18. Anything not listed here wasn't stated in the grid, which is not the same as not required.

Essay details are being verified

College-specific prompts can change each application cycle. Check the school's official application page for the latest requirements.

View official application requirements

Music & Sports Tracks

Sports

NCAA Division III
Varsity sports (9)
BaseballBasketballCross countryOutdoor track and fieldSoccerSwimming and divingTennisVolleyballWater polo
U.S. Department of Education, Equity in Athletics data (2024-25)
How music and sports fit into an application

Academics

Flagship Programs

Theoretical and Experimental PhysicsComputer Science (Information Science and Technology)Aerospace Engineering / GALCIT

Career & Major Pathways

Primary Disciplines
PhysicsEngineeringComputer ScienceChemistry
Interdisciplinary Pathways
Engineering and Applied ScienceComputation and Neural SystemsBusiness, Economics and Management (BEM)

Cost

Cost of attendance, per year
$86,886* (source: College Scorecard · 2024)

This is the full yearly cost before any financial aid. What your family would actually pay is in the Financial Aid section. Cost figures are approximate, so confirm current numbers on the college's website.

Tuition only (part of the cost above)
Tuition $65,898* (source: College Scorecard · 2024)

Financial Aid

What families actually paid, by household income

Average for students who received federal aid. Your own figure depends on your family's finances and the aid this school offers you.

Under $30,000
-$2,133
$30,001 – $48,000
-$2,886
$48,001 – $75,000
$431
$75,001 – $110,000
$18,753
Over $110,000
$54,157

A negative figure means the average aid package was larger than the school's full cost of attendance — those families were paid the difference rather than billed.

College Scorecard (latest.cost.net_price.private.by_income_level.*), 2024

Estimate what your family would pay

Every school is required to publish a net price calculator. It asks about your family's finances and returns an estimate for you specifically, which is worth more than any average on this page. Your school counselor and the college's financial aid office can also help.

Scholarships and merit aid

Caltech's aid is need-based only within a very small, intensely STEM-focused class, so admitted students should lean on the net price calculator rather than expect merit money.

Campus

Campus Fit

Location
Pasadena, CA· Urban
Undergraduates
987
Setting
Urban
In a fraternity or sorority
Not publicly reported
Living on campus
95% of students

*College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education) · 2024

†Caltech Undergraduate Admissions · 2026-27 · accessed Oct 20, 2026

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