California Institute of Technology: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
California Institute of Technology is a private nonprofit college in Pasadena, CA. Students pay about $16,075 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $128,566 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 0.8 years and adds $754,360 over a decade, ranking it #3 of 918 (top 1%) by value added.
What is California Institute of Technology's acceptance rate?
California Institute of Technology has an acceptance rate of 2.6%, which makes it highly selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in Pasadena, CA enrolling about 987 students, with a 93.8% graduation rate.
How much does California Institute of Technology cost?
California Institute of Technology costs about $16,075 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $64,300. Published sticker cost of attendance is $86,886 per year.
How much do California Institute of Technology graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median California Institute of Technology student earns $128,566 per year. That is $81,866 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is California Institute of Technology worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
California Institute of Technology pays back its roughly $64,300 cost in about 0.8 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $754,360 net of cost, a 12.73x return on the money invested. That ranks it #3 of 918 (top 1%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and a high graduation rate.
Top 10% value
California Institute of Technology graduation rate and student debt
93.8% of California Institute of Technology students complete their degree.
California Institute of Technology by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How California Institute of Technology compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $16,075 | $20,299 | cheaper than 70% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $128,566 | $54,768 | 99th |
| Graduation rate | 93.8% | 57.0% | 98th |
| Acceptance rate | 2.6% | 75.7% | more selective than 100% |
| 10-yr value added | $754,360 | -$28,192 | 100th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 12.73x | 0.73x | 100th |
| Payback period | 0.8 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 100% |
How California Institute of Technology compares with its nearest rivals
California Institute of Technology ranks #3 of 918 by ten-year value added. The five profiled colleges closest to it in that ranking are compared below on the same federal data: 1 of them costs less per year and 4 of them produce higher median earnings ten years after entry.
California Institute of Technology is a private nonprofit college in Pasadena, CA with 987 undergraduates. Its published cost of attendance is $86,886 a year, but the average aided family pays $16,075, an 81% discount from the sticker price. Getting in is the binding constraint at California Institute of Technology: 2.6% of applicants are admitted.
- University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis (Saint Louis, MO; #2 of 918; 68.5% graduate) costs $15,742 more per year ($31,817 net), and its graduates earn $8,481 more ten years out ($137,047). University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis adds $4,087 more ten-year value than California Institute of Technology. University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis pays back its cost in 1.6 years.
- Harvey Mudd College (Claremont, CA; #4 of 918; 92.8% graduate) costs $19,849 more per year ($35,924 net), and its graduates earn $10,121 more ten years out ($138,687). California Institute of Technology adds $3,186 more ten-year value than Harvey Mudd College. Harvey Mudd College pays back its cost in 1.8 years.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA; #1 of 918; 96.2% graduate) costs $4,036 more per year ($20,111 net), and its graduates earn $14,806 more ten years out ($143,372). Massachusetts Institute of Technology adds $117,148 more ten-year value than California Institute of Technology. Massachusetts Institute of Technology pays back its cost in 1 years.
- Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (Albany, NY; #5 of 918; 68.2% graduate) costs $13,807 more per year ($29,882 net), and its graduates earn $2,860 more ten years out ($131,426). California Institute of Technology adds $52,128 more ten-year value than Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences pays back its cost in 1.7 years.
- Stanford University (Stanford, CA; #5 of 918; 92.4% graduate) costs $2,268 less per year ($13,807 net), and its graduates earn $4,486 less ten years out ($124,080). California Institute of Technology adds $47,788 more ten-year value than Stanford University. Stanford University pays back its cost in 0.9 years.
| College | Value rank | Net price / yr | Earnings (10 yrs) | Graduation | 10-yr value added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | #1 | $20,111 | $143,372 | 96.2% | $871,508 |
| University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis | #2 | $31,817 | $137,047 | 68.5% | $758,447 |
| California Institute of Technology | #3 | $16,075 | $128,566 | 93.8% | $754,360 |
| Harvey Mudd College | #4 | $35,924 | $138,687 | 92.8% | $751,174 |
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | #5 | $29,882 | $131,426 | 68.2% | $702,232 |
| Stanford University | #5 | $13,807 | $124,080 | 92.4% | $706,572 |
Paying for California Institute of Technology
Net price is what a family pays after grants, so the aid a student qualifies for moves every figure above. Our sister sites cover that side of the decision: the Pell Grant 2026-2027 guide sets out who qualifies and the maximum award, the education grants guide lists federal, state and institutional grants beyond Pell, and the best AI tools for students compares what is worth paying for once enrolled.
Frequently asked
Is California Institute of Technology worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, California Institute of Technology ranks #3 of 918 (top 1%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 12.73x the money invested over a decade.
Is California Institute of Technology expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $16,075 average net price is below the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 70% of them.
Do California Institute of Technology graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $128,566 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 99% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into California Institute of Technology compared to other colleges?
Its 2.6% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 100% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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Federal data behind this page
What a programme costs, what its graduates earn, and what aid is available are published by federal statistical agencies rather than by any provider's marketing page, and the sources below are the primary ones. They are linked so a reader can check a figure here directly.
- College Scorecard publishes the federal cost, completion and post-enrolment earnings data used to compare programmes.
- National Center for Education Statistics is the federal statistical agency for education and the source most published figures trace back to.
- IPEDS holds the institution-level survey data behind enrolment, price and completion comparisons.
- Federal Student Aid states what aid exists, who qualifies, and what repayment actually obligates a borrower to.
- CFPB paying for college documents how education financing works and where its common traps are.
- US Department of Education sets the policy framework the accreditation and aid systems operate under.
- Department of Education laws and policy carries the rules that decide whether a provider or credential is recognised.
This page compares programmes on published data. Outcomes vary by student, and a reader's own aid package and circumstances decide what a programme actually costs them.