California Institute of Technology vs NorthWestern

California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and Northwestern University stand out as two of the most prestigious academic institutions in the United States, each offering a unique educational experience. Caltech, renowned for its exceptional strength in science and engineering, boasts an acceptance rate of just 7.3%, making it one of the most selective universities in the country. Northwestern, on the other hand, offers a more diverse range of academic programs, including strong liberal arts and business schools, and has a slightly higher acceptance rate of 9.1%. While both universities attract highly talented students, Caltech's student body is predominantly male (62%) and Asian (42%), while Northwestern's student body is more evenly distributed across gender (51% female) and ethnicity (39% White, 15% Asian, 10% Black or African American). With graduation rates of 94% for Caltech and 91% for Northwestern, both universities ensure that their students receive
California Institute of Technology logo

California Institute of Technology

Northwestern University logo

Northwestern University

Overview

Location Pasadena, California Evanston, Illinois
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Quarter Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 99.0% 99.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 3.9% 7.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $100
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $95
SAT range N/A 1470 - 1570
ACT range N/A 34 - 35
Students submitting SAT score 43.0%
Students submitting ACT score 39.0%
Total number of applicants 13,026 47,636
Total number of admissions given out 510 3,321
Admitted students who chose to enroll 270 2,086
Yield rate 52.9% 62.8%
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 Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $82,122 $83,838
Average net price $30,162 $29,999
Tuition $56,364 $60,276
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $10,398

Meal plan: $7,350
Room/dormitory: $11,271

Meal plan: $6,993
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

54.0%
Average amount $47,556
57.0%
Average amount $51,087
Students receiving federal student loan 5.0%
Average amount $5,333
23.0%
Average amount $4,625
Students taking out private loans 15.0%
Average amount $4,732
2.0%
Average amount $38,595

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 987
Men 55.3% Women 44.7%
8,847
Men 46.1% Women 53.9%
Graduate students 1,410
Men 66.7% Women 33.3%
14,562
Men 47.3% Women 52.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 92.2% N/A
International students 29.4% 17.8%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Small
Dormitory capacity 1,572 4,409
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 N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Physical Science
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Business
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Engineering
  • Health Professions
  • Legal Profession
Students to faculty ratio 3:1 6:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 92.9% 95.2%
Dropout rate 4.6% 4.2%
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
Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $150,242
  • Year 2: $188,472
  • Year 3: $221,242
Business/Commerce, General (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $188,472
  • Year 3: $216,176
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $187,194
  • Year 2: $170,971
  • Year 3: $206,288
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $120,709
  • Year 2: $189,565
  • Year 3: $194,961
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $162,478
  • Year 2: $163,561
  • Year 3: $177,652
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $111,200
  • Year 2: $157,779
  • Year 3: $159,304
Engineering, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $140,321
  • Year 2: $141,586
  • Year 3: $154,556
Medical Illustration and Informatics (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,288
  • Year 2: $118,465
  • Year 3: $132,325
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $118,780
  • Year 2: $111,323
  • Year 3: $130,124
Community Organization and Advocacy (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $115,760
  • Year 2: $113,668
  • Year 3: $128,046

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