California Institute of Technology vs Washington University in St Louis (WashU)

California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) stand out as two of the most prestigious private research universities in the United States, each offering a unique blend of academic excellence and vibrant student life. While both institutions share a commitment to providing a world-class education, they differ in several key aspects, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. This side-by-side comparison delves into these differences, providing prospective students with valuable insights to help them make informed decisions about their higher education journey. Explore the comprehensive table below to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations, personal preferences, and long-term goals.

	California Institute of Technology	Washington University in St Louis
Overview
Location	Pasadena, California	Saint Louis, Missouri
Campus setting	City: Midsize	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Quarter	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	99.0%	96.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	3.9%	13.0%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $75 Graduate: $100	Undergraduate: $75 Graduate: $45
SAT range	N/A	1490 - 1570
ACT range	N/A	33 - 35
Students submitting SAT score		25.0%
Students submitting ACT score		41.0%
Total number of applicants	13,026	33,634
Total number of admissions given out	510	4,373
Admitted students who chose to enroll	270	1,980
Yield rate	52.9%	45.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Not required	Not required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$82,122	$81,620
Average net price	$30,162	$28,298
Tuition	$56,364	$57,750
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $10,398 Meal plan: $7,350	Room/dormitory: $12,350 Meal plan: $5,550
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	54.0% Average amount $47,556	44.0% Average amount $51,288
Students receiving federal student loan	5.0% Average amount $5,333	14.0% Average amount $4,790
Students taking out private loans	15.0% Average amount $4,732	2.0% Average amount $25,095

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	987 Men 55.3% Women 44.7%	8,034 Men 46.4% Women 53.6%
Graduate students	1,410 Men 66.7% Women 33.3%	8,939 Men 47.6% Women 52.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	92.2%	88.2%
International students	29.4%	26.1%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	1,572	6,826
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	California Texas Georgia Maryland Florida	California Missouri New York Illinois Florida

Academics
Popular study areas	Engineering Physical Science Computer and Information Science Biological and Biomedical Sciences Mathematics and Statistics	Business Legal Profession Engineering Health Professions Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio	3:1	7:1
Institutional accreditation	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	92.9%	93.1%
Dropout rate	4.6%	6.5%
Transferred out	1.7%	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $155,297 Year 3: N/A Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $129,693 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $83,177 Year 3: N/A Chemistry (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $59,996 Year 2: $89,875 Year 3: N/A	Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $89,930 Year 2: $99,517 Year 3: $149,178 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $108,627 Year 2: $112,270 Year 3: $125,369 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $83,311 Year 2: $91,744 Year 3: $123,261 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $90,605 Year 2: $80,755 Year 3: $115,101 Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $92,604 Year 2: $85,538 Year 3: $96,865 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $66,886 Year 2: $67,995 Year 3: $82,126 Medicine (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $57,989 Year 2: $58,334 Year 3: $73,030 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $65,467 Year 2: $64,379 Year 3: $68,070 Public Health (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $48,193 Year 2: $52,107 Year 3: $66,777 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $67,699 Year 2: $63,997 Year 3: $66,289

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California Institute of Technology vs Washington University in St Louis (WashU)

California Institute of Technology

Washington University in St Louis

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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