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California Institute of Technology (Caltech) : Fees, Rankings, Courses, Reviews
- Private Institute
124 acre campus- Estd. 1891
Last updated on 28 Nov '25CaltechWhat's new?
Admissions for the upcoming academic session are now open at Caltech. Mentioned below are the latest deadlines:
- Restrictive Early Action deadline is: Nov 1, 2025
- Regular Decision deadline is: Jan 5, 2026
About California Institute of Technology
Established in 1891 California Institute of Technology popularly known as Caltech is top private research university located in Pasadena USA. Cal Tech University is famous Science and Engineering institute and has one of lowest student to faculty ratios of 3:1. Cal Tech is among top 10 universities in world and is one of most popular universities in world. As per the enrollment stats of Cal Tech, there are a total 987 UG and 1410 PG students. The university has one of the lowest student to faculty ratios of just 3:1 providing world class education to its students.
Some of the things to know about the California Institute of Technology are -
|
California Institute of Technology |
Validation |
|---|---|
|
Established |
1891 |
|
Location |
1200 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125, United States |
|
Founder |
Amos Throop |
|
Acceptance rate |
3% |
|
Shiksha Popularity Ranking |
#6 in the US |
|
Popular Majors |
Data Science, Computer Science, Business Administration, Biology, Physics, Mathematics, Engineering |
|
Total Students |
2,400 (approx) |
|
GPA Requirement |
Average 3.9 |
|
Academic Divisions |
|
|
Average Fees |
|
|
Placement Rate |
87% |
|
Average Salary |
INR 94.2 L-INR 1.02 Cr |
|
Top Employers |
Meta, Google, NASA, Apple & Amazon |
| Notable Alumni | Richard Feynman, Linus Pauling, Donald Knuth, Bob Lazar & Howard Hughes |
History
Caltech was founded by Pasadena based philanthropist Amos Throop who rented the Wooster Block building in Pasadena with aim of starting Throop University - old name. The institute opened its doors in Nov 1891 welcoming about 31 students as part of its first cohort. A six member faculty team came together to educate students.
Geoge Ellery Hale an astronomer by profession became a member of board of trustees at the institute in 1907 and played major role in moulding the institute into a first class institution for engineering and scientific research.
Hale was later joined by Robert A Millikan & Arthur A Noyes with all three men playing a major role in shaping it to become one of the best universities in the USA and globally.
About Pasadena
Pasadena City was incorporated in 1896 which means "Crown of the Valley" or "Key of the Valley" in local language. The city is known for its infrastructure, suitable climate, and urban environment. The city has population of around 1.34 L and the average household income is USD 103,778 or INR 88.8 L.
To know more about STEM universities in the USA, check out the Shiksha Exclusive video below:
Commonly asked questions On Highlights
Yes, the Caltech acceptance rate stands at 3%. while the Massachusetts Institute of Technology acceptance rate is 4.52% giving students a marginally better chance of admission.
Interested applicants must stand out among their peers both academically and non-academically, across every level of studies and submit a standout application to have the best possible chance of admission.
Yes, Caltech provides all-round support to all its international students, as part of its International Student Program (ISP).
The Caltech ISP program provides guidance on visa acquirement, employment authorization, travel guidance, visa delay assistance, community building & support with taxes in the US among other things.
International students can contact university officials via its official website for the same.
Caltech is not an Ivy League school but it tends to enjoy a similar reputation and social status. In regards to Math / Science / Engineering education, Caltech is one of the best institutes to attend. In terms of the quality of the student body and the raw IQ, then also Caltech is a top institute for studies. According to unofficial sources, Caltech trumps every other college in the nation including MIT and Harvard. The sources also claim that students must be smart and clever enough in Math / Science to survive at Caltech.
California Institute of Technology Ranking 2025
California Institute of Technology is frequently recognized for its academics and global reputation. In 2025, the institution achieved a notable ranking of #8 as per the Shiksha Popularity Ranking assessments.
Particularly, its courses such as B.E. / B.Tech and MS have been ranked nationally at rank #9 and #5, respectively. These rankings underscore the university's commitment to providing high-quality education in this domain.
Apart fro the above rankings, the university is also ranked by QS (#10) and QS (#15) in category World University Ranking, respectively.
#9
#7
Caltech Courses
The California Institute of Technology degrees includes 28 options (majors) to choose from at the undergraduate level. On the other hand, at the graduate level, 30-course options are available. The average duration for a UG course is 3-4 years with the average fee for international students being in the range: INR 54-56 L, while the duration for a PG course is 1-2 years with the average cost of studies being in the range: INR 45-56 L.
Caltech Undergraduate Courses
We can fast-track your application in a week.
Guided 4.4K students to USA universities.
Guided 4.4K students to USA universities.
California Institute of Technology Admission 2026
Indian applicants can apply for California Institute of Technology admissions on the university's Official Application Portal. Regarding admission rarities, the university offers admission to students based on the eligibility criteria for the course of choice. To gain admission, all overseas applicants must fulfil the California Institute of Technology eligibility criteria, which include academic transcripts, GPA requirements, results on standardized and aptitude tests, SOP, LOR and CV. Additionally, students must provide their results from entrance/English language proficiency tests, such as TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, GRE, Duolingo and SAT.
- Application fees :USD 75 - 100
- Type of deadline :Depends on course
Commonly asked questions On Admissions
The university does not conduct an entrance exam of its own; however, it does consider valid scores in the SAT or ACT for admission to undergraduate courses.
Students seeking admission to STEM courses are required to have completed their secondary school studies in the relevant fields.
Source: California Institute of Technology Official Website
CaltechCaltech Scholarships 2025
The California Institute of Technology Scholarships are available to international students worth 100% coverage of all tuition costs plus some additional benefits. The average Caltech financial aid for the Class of 2024 stood at almost USD 73,000 (INR 62.5 L), with around 75% of all Class of 2024 graduates, graduating debt-free.
Caltech Scholarship Application Deadline
The application deadlines mentioned below must be strictly adhered to by all international students to be eligible for Caltech University scholarships:
| Applicant Type | Tentative Deadlines |
|---|---|
| New Applicant, Restrictive Early Action (Priority) | Mid-Dec, 2025 |
| New Applicant, Regular Decision (Priority) | Mid-Mar, 2026 |
| Fall Term (Final) | Mid-Nov, 2025 |
| Winter Term (Final) | Feb-end, 2026 |
| Spring Term (Final) | Mid-May, 2026 |
Note: Caltech Scholarship application deadlines are closed for now, mentioned above are some tenative deadlines, based on deadlines in recent years, & therefore are subject to change.
Caltech Scholarship Application Process
International students seeking financial aid at Caltech, must abide by the below set of instructions to be eligible for scholarships at Caltech:
- If applying for financial aid, must mention it as part of the admission application
- Must apply as a first-year incoming student, no financial aid is provided to students at a later point in time of studies
- Register for the CSS Profile at Caltech, using the CSS code: 4034
- Submit the Parent's Financial Statement form, with average annual income being less than USD 100,000 (INR 85.6 L)
- Submit the latest National Tax Return document of your country
- Submit the Scholarship Data Form & Addendum
- Must abide by all scholarship deadlines
All forms mentioned above can be accessed from Caltech's official website.
1 yearCaltech Placements
Caltech Placement rate stands at 87% for the Class of 2023, per data curated from official sources. Graduates were able to land jobs at an annual median & mode salary range of USD 110,000-USD 120,000 (INR 94.25 L-INR 1.02 Cr).
Placements at a Glance
The table below lists some key facts associated with Caltech University Placements:
| Caltech Placements | Validation |
|---|---|
| Percentage of Graduates employed full-time or pursuing higher education | 87% |
| Percentage of Graduates employed full-time | 44% |
| Percentage of Graduates pursuing higher education | 43% |
| Graduates pursuing an internship, fellowship, or other options | 7% |
| Graduates taking time off or figuring it out | 5% |
| Average Salary Range | USD 110,000-USD 120,000 (INR 94.2 L-INR 1.02 Cr) per annum |
Salary Breakdown by Percentile
Caltech graduates received job offers that went as high as USD 159,000 (INR 1.36 Cr) per year. Given below is a percentile-wise breakdown of salaries earned by Caltech Class of 2023 graduates:
| Percentile | Base Salary Range (in USD) | Base Salary Range (in INR) |
|---|---|---|
| 90th percentile | USD 150,000-USD 159,000 | INR 1.28 Cr-INR 1.36 Cr |
| 75th percentile | USD 140,000-USD 149,000 | INR 1.19 CR-INR 1.27 Cr |
| 50th percentile | USD 110,000-USD 119,000 | INR 94.25 L-INR 1.01 Cr |
| 25th percentile | USD 90,000-USD 99,000 | INR 77.1 L-INR 84.8 L |
| 10th percentile | USD 80,000-USD 89,000 | INR 68.54 L-INR 76.26 L |
Top Employers
Caltech graduates receive job offers from the likes of Google, SpaceX, Meta, NASA & Apple among some other top companies in the United States & abroad.
The table below gives a detailed breakdown of Caltech graduate employment by company:
| Organization | Number of Graduates Employed |
|---|---|
| Northrop Grumman | 556 |
| 399 | |
| Boeing | 279 |
| NASA Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) | 251 |
| Apple | 232 |
| Meta | 157 |
| Stanford University | 151 |
| Microsoft | 150 |
To know more about placements at Caltech, check out: Caltech University Placement Report
Caltech Fees
Caltech fees for UG and PG students are around USD 65K (INR 56 L) for 2025-26. Figure mentioned above is estimated and varies with different courses.
Students can check a detailed breakdown of the estimated Caltech cost of attendance for international students below:
| Caltech Fee Component | Fee |
|---|---|
| Tuition | USD 65,622 (INR 56.07 L) |
| Fees | USD 2,586 (INR 2.20 L) |
| Housing | USD 12,105 (INR 10.34 L) |
| Food/Meals | USD 8,886 (INR 7.6 L) |
| Books/Courses | USD 1,428 (INR 1.22 L) |
| Personal Expenses | USD 3,285 (INR 2.80 L) |
| Total Estimated Cost of Attendance | USD 93,912 (INR 80.25 L) |
1 USD = INR 85.45
For more information about the costs of studying & living at Caltech, get your free PDF: Caltech Cost of Attendance
| Courses | 1st Year Tuition Fees | Duration & Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
MS(18 courses) | INR 47 L - 58 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 1 year-2 years Exam Accepted: TOEFL, PTE, Duolingo, IELTS, GRE |
B.E. / B.Tech(7 courses) | INR 56 L - 58 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 4 years Exam Accepted: TOEFL: 100 & Above, PTE, Duolingo: 130 & Above, SAT, IELTS: 7 & Above |
B.Sc.(13 courses) | INR 56 L - 58 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 4 years Exam Accepted: TOEFL: 100 & Above, PTE, Duolingo: 130 & Above, SAT, IELTS: 7 & Above |
BBA(2 courses) | INR 56 L - 58 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 4 years Exam Accepted: TOEFL: 100 & Above, PTE, Duolingo: 130 & Above, SAT, IELTS: 7 & Above |
B.A.(5 courses) | INR 56 L - 58 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 4 years Exam Accepted: TOEFL: 100 & Above, PTE, Duolingo: 130 & Above, SAT, IELTS: 7 & Above |
CaltechStudent profile
Others
40%
Asian
34%
Hispanic
22%
Black
3%
Out of state
57%
In state
28%
Foreign
13%
24 and under
99%
UG Number of Applicant
Overall Graduation Rate
UG Enrollment
PG Enrollment
Caltech Notable Alumni
The living alumni of the California Institute of Technology cross over 24,000 in the U.S. and around the world. Check the names included in Caltech University notable alumni from the table given below:
|
Name |
Profession |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Howard Hughes |
A prominent figure in the Aviation industry and a Film Producer |
|
| Richard Feynman | American theoretical physicist, known for his work in the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, Nobel Prize Winner in Physics in 1965 |  |
| Linus Pauling | American chemist, biochemist, chemical engineer, peace activist, author, and educator. Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry in 1954 and Nobel Peace Prize Winner in 1962. |  |
| Thomas Hunt Morgan | American evolutionary biologist, and geneticist. Won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1933 |  |
| Frank Oppenheimer | American particle physicist. |  |
| John McCarthy | American computer scientist and cognitive scientist |  |
| Robert A. Millikan | American experimental physicist who won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1923 |  |
Caltech vs MIT vs Stanford University: Which is Better?
CalTech, MIT and Stanford are all well known for their quality of education. But securing admissions at either is not an easy job. Each has acceptance rate below 5% and only those students who have consistently stood out at all levels of their studies have a realistic chance of getting in.
When it comes to acceptance rate, Stanford is marginally the easier institution to secure admission at; however, in terms of affordability, Caltech stands out.
When it comes to the average annual package Stanford students stand out.
For a detailed comparison between them, check out the table below:
|
Criteria |
California Institute of Technology |
MIT |
Stanford University |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Location |
1200 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125, United States |
77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States |
450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305, United States |
|
Acceptance Rate |
3% |
2% |
3.6-3.9% |
|
Popular Programs |
Computer Science, Physics, Business
|
Computer Science, Engineering, MBA |
Business Management, Computer Science
|
|
Average Fees |
UG: INR 51 L-INR 53 L PG: 44 L-INR 53 L |
UG: INR 52 L-INR 54 L PG: 36 L-INR 79 L |
UG: INR 49 L-INR 53 L PG: 35 L-INR 90 L |
|
Average Salary |
INR 1.4 Cr per annum |
INR 1.37 Cr per annum |
INR 1.52 Cr per annum |
|
Shiksha Popularity Ranking |
#6 in the USA |
#1 in the USA |
#3 in the USA |
|
Shksha Global Ranking |
#9 |
#1 |
#4 |
Compare Caltech with other similar colleges
| College | 1st Year Tuition Fees | Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| INR 46.59 L - 58.23 L | #7 THE, 2026 | |
| INR 37.24 L - 1.14 Cr | #1 QS, 2026 | |
| INR 30.9 L - 1.32 Cr | #3 QS, 2026 | |
| INR 38.39 L - 75.28 L | #4 US News, 2026 | |
| INR 46.02 L - 55.37 L | #1 US News, 2026 | |
| INR 23.54 L - 64.4 L | #17 US News, 2026 |
CompareCaltechStudying in USA
Key Facts About USA
Insights on education, demographics & weather.
Caltech Campus Life
Spread around an 124 acres area of land, approximately 17kms northeast of Downtown Los Angeles, the Caltech campus, is one of the best campuses in the United States, home to a number of world class research facilities, hundreds of student clubs & international student associations, safe & secure housing, & a diverse student population of around 2,460 students.
Given below is a description of some popular resources & services, that makes Caltech stand out from the rest:
International Student Support Services
The Caltech ISP program offers comprehensive support to international students with a admission offer in hand. This includes a range of support services including: relocation guidance, orientation program, travel, immigration & visa support, employment routes & how to navigate taxes in the US among other services.
Housing
Caltech offers guaranteed housing for all undergraduate students, including internationals, & applies to the first year of study. Housing options include: individual rooms for single students, 4-12 bedroom suites & furnished apartments as part of its housing facilities across campus which includes: Bechtel Residence, Marks/Braun House, Avery House, North House & the South House.
For Graduate students, housing is not guaranteed, but offered via a lottery.
Dining
When it comes to Caltech Dining, there are number of on campus restaurants & cafes available that serve students throughout the day. For a small monthly fee, students can acquire membership of the Athenaeum (faculty club), that offers a number of formal options for breakfast, lunch & dinner.
Avery Ramen, Broad Cafe, Red Door Marketplace & the Lee F. Browne Dining Hall are some other facilities available to students.
Commonly asked questions On Others
TEDx, Science Tuesdays at KML, Founding & Investing in the Technologies of Tommorrow, Stargazing & Americana Music Nights are among the popular student events at Caltech.
These events aim to bring together students to understand the complexities of today & tommorrow & develop the skills necessary to deal with them, with experts of different fields guiding them over this journey.
Also, a great opportunity to grow your network & build meaningful connections.
Caltech Research
Caltech has made its reputation of being one of the best research universities in the world, with a keen emphasis on STEM, millions of dollars of federal funding & close ties with a number of top research organizations in the US such as NASA.
Human Health, Space Exploration, Robotics, Autonomous Systems, AI & Quantum Computing, Energy & Earthquakes & Seismology are some popular areas of research at Caltech.
Caltech Research at a Glance
The table below highlights some key facts associated with research at Caltech:
| Caltech University Research | Validation |
|---|---|
| Total NASA Facilities on Campus | 5 |
| Total Nobel Prize Winning Researchers | 45 |
| Percentage of Students participating in Research | 90% |
| Total Research Centers & Institutes | 50+ |
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Caltech in partnership with NASA operates the Jet Propulsion Lab, which is the leading center of space exploration in the United States, where scientists & engineers from both organizations work together to understand the workings of the universe & life.
The JPL is notably famous for sending 5 rovers to Mars, with the very first mission being the Mariner 4 in 1965.
Large Hadron Collider
The Large Hadron Collider lying in a 27 km wide tunnel, with a depth of almost 574 feet, along the France-Switzerland border near Geneva, is a facility used by Caltech scientists to explore signs of dark matter, existence of other dimensions, & the Higgs particle among other areas of research.
Laser-Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO)
Operated in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a pair of facilities that uses four kilometer long laser interferometers to detect gravitational radiation.
LIGO scientists were famously awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2017, for making the first ever direct observation of the ripples in fabric of space & time caused by gravitational waves, also predicted by Albert Einstein almost 100 years ago.
Caltech FAQs
The following exemptions apply for Caltech admissions and non submission of ELP scores:
- English is the primary language of instruction in the secondary school
- Applicants with a degree from a college or university whose primary instruction is in English
Caltech students can choose to opt into the house system, where they are placed into one of the eight UG houses. Each house has a family-style dinner every weeknight during which they sit together in their dining hall and are served by paid student waiters. Each UG house has its unique customs. For example, Dabney House stages a liquid nitrogen pumpkin drop from the top of the Caltech Hall every Halloween. Furthermore, these houses host one ‘inter-house’ party during the year. These are elaborate events, where members of the house plan food, music, décor, and other parts of the party for the UG student body.
Caltech has 11 residence halls on campus with a variety of living arrangements: singles, doubles, triples, and suite-style living. There are 8 traditional UG houses as well as 3 unaffiliated (non-house) halls. There are common areas for students to socialize, mingle, dine, and work on problem sets together. Furthermore, the university’s residence halls also provide a strong support system. Each has peer advisors, health advocates, a resident associate, etc. Also, there is always someone to talk to when students need any kind of assistance or just want to chat. Furthermore, the housing system also offers a lot of opportunities to join student leadership.
CalTech is one of the top universities in the world. Known for its state of the art research facilities and engineering program, Caltech ranks among the top 10 universities in the world as per THE 2024 Rankings. Some of the notable faculty members of the university are:
| Faculty Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Thomas F Rosenbaum, Ph.D. | President; Sonja and William Davidow Presidential Chair; Professor of Physics |
| John N Abelson, Ph.D. | George Beadle Professor of Biology, Emeritus |
| Yaser Abu-Mostafa, Ph.D. | Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science |
| Rana Adhikari, Ph.D. | Professor of Physics |
| Jess F Adkins, Ph.D. | Smits Family Professor of Geochemistry and Global Environmental Science |
Caltech
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 3 months ago
No, the intercollegiate athletic teams of the California Institute of Technology compete in NCAA Division III. The 16 varsity sports teams are also known as the Beavers and, time and again, continue to make the university proud, with around 25% of the UG students participating in the intercollegiate
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 months ago
The Caltech courses are offered undergraduate and graduate levels across many domains and subjects. With just a 3.14% acceptance rate, international students are required to put their best foot forward by meeting the criteria below:
Bachelor's degree equivalent to a US 4-year degree, with a strong a
K
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 months ago
With an acceptance rate of just 3.14%, the California Institute of Technology is highly competitive for international students. This Institute not only looks for academic rigor, but also the extracurricular activities and the applicant's motivation to pursue the Caltech courses. For UG programs, bel
D
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 months ago
Yes, Caltech accepts Indian students along with applicants from most parts of the world (30+ countries), with China, India & Canada among the countries with the highest number of Indian students.
The institute admitted 140 international UG & 671 PG students as part of its Fall semester enrollment for
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 5 months ago
The Caltech Engineering graduates are considered highly valuable among tech giants like SpaceX, Meta, Google, NASA/JPL, top research institution. According to the Caltech Placement report 2023, the overall placement rate (employment plus graduation school) of 87% with Mean engineering starting salar
P
Contributor-Level 8
About the author
Caltech
Front View
Building
Campus
CaltechLocation
| University City | Pasadena, California, USA |
| Size of city | Medium |
| Population of City | 1,43,000 |
CaltechCampuses
1200 East California Boulevard Pasadena, California 91125 USA
Visit official siteCaltechContact Information
1200 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
Pasadena ( California)
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