College Azimuth

Research brief & institution hub

California Institute of Technology

CASmall private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #108 nationally

Data snapshot Updated

Azimuth ranks California Institute of Technology #108 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions.

Who it’s a good fit for

The fit is clearest for a student drawn to a small, intensely technical private university in California whose degree mix is dominated by Computer & Information Sciences and Engineering. Return is among the highest we track, while access is around the average.

Graduates earn above the median at comparable schools. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study.

The four-year figure captures the earnings picture for the bulk of the class. The price case turns on income: at the bottom of the scale, aid can exceed the published cost entirely.

The spread between the lowest and highest bands is wide, and affordability is above average. The admission rate is far below the median for comparable institutions, and California Institute of Technology serves a small undergraduate population. The institution offers a concentrated program mix.

California Institute of Technology at a glance

Admissions and outcomes

Admission rate[1]
2.6%
Six-year completion[2]
94.4%
Four-year earnings[3]
$152,843

Cost and family borrowing

Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[6]
Not reported
Median student debt[4]
Not reported
Median Parent PLUS debt[7]
$27,881

California Institute of Technology rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[5]

California Institute of Technology is a private nonprofit university in Pasadena, California, enrolling 987 undergraduates. The composite rank sits near the top of the Azimuth ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Admission is highly selective: the university admits 2.6% of applicants, against a median of 75.7% for comparable institutions (same type and size). Among full-time first-year students, 97.4% return for a second year, well above the median for comparable institutions of 74.2%.

The six-year graduation rate is 94.4%, compared with a median of 54.9% for similar schools. An estimated 4.4% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students.

The four sit far apart. Return is the strongest (99th percentile), while access is the weakest (48th percentile). Mobility and affordability fall in between (61st and 71st percentiles).

Azimuth evaluates California Institute of Technology on four pillars among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. Return is the strongest, at the 99th percentile, and access is the weakest, at the 48th percentile.

Mobility sits at the 61st percentile and affordability at the 71st percentile. The spread between the top and bottom pillars is wide, with return far ahead of the other three.

How value-added outcomes are assessed · How to interpret program rankings

California Institute of Technology rankings in context
GeographyRank
National#108
California#28
West#34

Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group.

National pillar percentiles

Economic mobility
National percentile: 61
Access & reach
National percentile: 48
Affordability
National percentile: 71
Return on investment
National percentile: 99

01 / California Institute of Technology briefing

California Institute of Technology cost & financial aid[6][7]

California Institute of Technology publishes a total cost of attendance of $86,886. That figure combines $65,898 in tuition and fees with $20,283 for room and board.

Aid covers about 81% of the published cost, a reduction of $70,811 from the sticker price. That sits $6,272 below the $22,347 median at comparable institutions (same type and size).

Azimuth ranks the university #416 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That places the affordability pillar in the 71st percentile.

The published cost of attendance is $86,886. Azimuth ranks California Institute of Technology #416 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $56,290. Aid covers about 81% of the published cost for the average aid recipient.

A minority of undergraduates, 34.8%, take federal loans. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $27,881 in Parent PLUS loans.

Your family income

Choose a household income range to see estimated net price.

Reported average annual net price · $48–75KNot reported

After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ.

Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary.

Borrowing and repayment at California Institute of Technology

Four years after completion, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $152,843. That figure sits in the 99th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, range from a downside of $70,318 to an upside of $200,511, with a typical scenario of $152,843. The spread between the downside and upside scenarios is wide.

The median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $55,915, which puts California Institute of Technology $96,928 above the peer median. Azimuth ranks the university #12 for return.

The federal data for this school does not include a median debt figure for completers, so a direct comparison with the peer median of $25,000 is not possible. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $27,881 in Parent PLUS loans.

For the separate population of parent borrowers, median Parent PLUS borrowing is $27,881.

How Financial GPS measures payment burden · The four risk-and-reward zones

Financial GPS

What does repayment look like?

Institution median student debt
No federal loan data
Institution Parent PLUS debt
$27,881

Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included.

Estimated student payment · monthly
No federal loan data
Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly
$354/mo

Payments use school-wide median balances, not a specific major’s.

Payment assumptions

Payments are 10-year standard payments on the median balance, before loan fees, used as a yardstick. Rates for newly issued loans may differ, and loans made after July 1, 2026 can repay over a longer term; existing loans keep their original fixed rates.

Explore your own numbers in Financial GPS
Read the full cost & aid brief

02 / California Institute of Technology briefing

California Institute of Technology career outcomes & earnings[3][8][9]

Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $152,843. That is $96,928 above the $55,915 median for comparable institutions (same type and size).

The median sits in the 99th percentile nationally, and Azimuth places the return pillar in the 99th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.

California Institute of Technology has 1 programs with published earnings data. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $152,843.

That figure places the university in the 99th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings cohort is 153 completers.

The typical earnings scenario is $152,843. The downside earnings scenario is $70,318 and the upside scenario is $200,511.

These are scenarios, not observed groups of graduates. An estimated 25.8% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix.

Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $152,843. That places the university at the 99th percentile for earnings.

The peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $55,915, which puts the university $96,928 above that benchmark. Azimuth ranks California Institute of Technology #12 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The degree mix is concentrated in Computer & Information Sciences, Engineering, and Physical Sciences. Earnings scenarios estimated from that mix range from a downside of $70,318 to an upside of $200,511.

An estimated 25.8% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix.

Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix range from $70,318 on the downside to $200,511 on the upside, with $152,843 as the typical scenario. These are scenarios, not observed groups of graduates.

Only one program has published earnings data: Computer Science, which awards 77 degrees a year. Its graduates earn a median of $200,511 four years after completion. The upside scenario and the single program's median are the same figure.

The published cost of attendance is $86,886. Aid covers about 81% of the published cost for the average aid recipient.

That average net price is $16,075, which sits $6,272 below the peer median of $22,347 for comparable institutions (same type and size). The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $56,290. Parent PLUS borrowers hold a separate median of $27,881.

Read the full outcomes brief

03 / California Institute of Technology briefing

California Institute of Technology acceptance rate & admissions[1][10][11]

California Institute of Technology admits 2.6% of applicants. The median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is 75.7%.

A rate this low means most applicants are not admitted, and the number itself describes the pool, not a personal chance.

Admissions
Admission rate
2.6%
Read the full admissions brief

04 / California Institute of Technology briefing

What are the largest majors at California Institute of Technology?[12]

California Institute of Technology awards nearly all of its bachelor's degrees in three technical families: Computer & Information Sciences at 40.9%, Engineering at 29.6%, and Physical Sciences at 18.7%. The earnings data reflects this concentration.

Computer Science, the largest program with 77 degrees awarded, shows median earnings of $200,511 four years after completion. That is 1.87x the national median for the field.

Because only one program has published earnings, the page cannot show the spread between higher- and moderate-earning fields that a broader program mix would reveal. A student considering California Institute of Technology should know that the earnings picture is drawn from a single field.

Computer & Information Sciences accounts for 40.9% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Engineering second at 29.6% and Physical Sciences third at 18.7%. The university has 1 program with published four-year earnings.

Computer Science is the largest single program, at 77 degrees awarded. Its completers earn a median of $200,511 four years after completion.

That figure is the highest among the school's programs with published data, and it sits well above the national median for the field.

The degree mix at California Institute of Technology is concentrated in quantitative fields. Computer & Information Sciences accounts for 40.9% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Engineering at 29.6% and Physical Sciences at 18.7%.

Computer Science is the largest single program, awarding 77 degrees a year. Computer Science is also the highest-earning program, with graduates reporting a median of $200,511 four years after completion.

That figure is 1.87x the national median for its field. The university has 1 program with published four-year earnings data.

The pattern is one of depth in a single field rather than breadth across many. The earnings figure is high in absolute terms and well above the national benchmark for the discipline, and the program mix is almost entirely STEM.

Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields
Computer Science 77 degrees awarded
$200,511
Mechanical Engineering 28 degrees awarded
Too few graduates to report
Physics 27 degrees awarded
Too few graduates to report
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 15 degrees awarded
Too few graduates to report
Chemistry 11 degrees awarded
Too few graduates to report
Biomedical/Medical Engineering 10 degrees awarded
Too few graduates to report

Fields selected by reported completions. Counts describe credentials awarded, not unique students or the earnings sample. Bars show median four-year earnings.

Read the full majors brief

05 / California Institute of Technology briefing

What colleges are similar to California Institute of Technology?[15]

Azimuth groups alternatives by admissions, location, cost and earnings, then orders candidates within each group. Peer earnings use the matched four-year cohort. How matching works.

A shortlist for different decisions

Choose a row to compare the figures with California Institute of Technology.

Admissions peerUniversity of California-Los Angeles9.0% admitted
Comparison with California Institute of Technology
MeasureCalifornia Institute of TechnologyUniversity of California-Los Angeles
Peer earnings · 4 years$152,843$77,677-$75,166 vs California Institute of Technology
Average annual net price$16,075$12,548-$3,527 vs California Institute of Technology · lower cost
Admission rate2.6%9.0%
Explore University of California-Los Angeles →
Higher-admission alternativeHarvey Mudd College12.7% admitted
Comparison with California Institute of Technology
MeasureCalifornia Institute of TechnologyHarvey Mudd College
Peer earnings · 4 years$152,843$137,100-$15,743 vs California Institute of Technology
Average annual net price$16,075$35,924+$19,849 vs California Institute of Technology · higher cost
Admission rate2.6%12.7%
Explore Harvey Mudd College →
Nearby alternativeHarvey Mudd CollegeNearby option · CA
Comparison with California Institute of Technology
MeasureCalifornia Institute of TechnologyHarvey Mudd College
Peer earnings · 4 years$152,843$137,100-$15,743 vs California Institute of Technology
Average annual net price$16,075$35,924+$19,849 vs California Institute of Technology · higher cost
Admission rate2.6%12.7%
Explore Harvey Mudd College →
Similar profileHarvey Mudd CollegeMatched across several measures
Comparison with California Institute of Technology
MeasureCalifornia Institute of TechnologyHarvey Mudd College
Peer earnings · 4 years$152,843$137,100-$15,743 vs California Institute of Technology
Average annual net price$16,075$35,924+$19,849 vs California Institute of Technology · higher cost
Admission rate2.6%12.7%
Explore Harvey Mudd College →

Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable.

Read the full similar schools brief

Data scope & methodology

Structured payloads generated Governed hub narrative Governed spoke corpus

Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection.

Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them.

Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects.

Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release.

Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source.

Analysis and methodology by Daniel Rogers, founder of College Azimuth.

Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations · About College Azimuth

Read the analysis behind value-added earnings and the change to four-year graduate earnings. These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com.

Data notes & source fields

Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation; notes with a different source link it below.

  1. Admission rate. Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability.

    Source fields: ADM_RATE

  2. Six-year completion. First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree.

    Source fields: C150_4

  3. Four-year institutional earnings. Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion.

    Source fields: MD_EARN_WNE_4YR

  4. Median federal student debt. Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students.

    Source fields: GRAD_DEBT_MDN

  5. National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks. Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ.

    Source fields: Azimuth rankings

    College Azimuth · Ranking methodology

  6. Annual net price by family income. Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers.

    Source fields: NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV

  7. Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration. Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance is 150% of the federal poverty guideline for one person, for the year the API serves. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. The parent table is the 10-year payment on the median Parent PLUS as a share of household income above 200% of the guideline for a household of three: under 6% Safe, 6–10% Caution, over 10% High pressure. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations.

    Source fields: PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations

    College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology

  8. Downside and upside earnings; yellow band. The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median.

    Source fields: Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios

    College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology

  9. Value added and its components. Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality.

    Source fields: Azimuth statistical model

    College Azimuth · Value-added methodology

  10. SAT score range and reported midpoint. Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range.

    Source fields: SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG

  11. First-year retention. Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions.

    Source fields: RET_FT4

  12. Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots. Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity.

    Source fields: EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE

    College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation

  13. Pell recipients. Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year.

    Source fields: PCTPELL

  14. Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group. This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns.

    Source fields: 1 − PFTFTUG1_EF

  15. Peer earnings and signed differences. Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure.

    Source fields: Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR

    College Azimuth · Comparison methodology

How to interpret program rankings