Private · #6 National University
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA · 987 undergraduates
What it may cost by family income
Estimated average net price — what families actually pay after grants and scholarships — by annual household income. Net price matters far more than the $86,886 sticker price. All figures are the full cost of attendance — housing, food, and books included, not just tuition.
| Household income | Est. net price / year |
|---|---|
| Under $30k | $0 |
| $30k–$48k | $0 |
| $48k–$75k | $431 |
| $75k–$110k | $18,753 |
| Over $110k | $54,157 |
Sticker cost of attendance: $86,886. GPA context: near-perfect GPAs; ~4.0 UW typical.
What the whole degree costs
Every cost figure above is one year. A bachelor's degree is four — sometimes five. Today's-prices makes no assumptions; the second column assumes prices rise ~3.5% a year, in line with recent averages.
| Household income | 4 yrs, today's prices | 4 yrs with increases |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30k | $0 | $0 |
| $30k–$48k | $0 | $0 |
| $48k–$75k | $1,724 | $1,817 |
| $75k–$110k | $75,012 | $79,043 |
| Over $110k | $216,628 | $228,269 |
First-year aid is not guaranteed to repeat — ask California Institute of Technology how grants change after year one. That answer moves these numbers more than anything else on this page.
Applying to a specific major at California Institute of Technology
3% is the acceptance rate for the whole university — not for every major. For the programs below, admission is usually decided separately and is harder than that number suggests. Almost no university publishes a by-major admission rate, and neither does the federal government, so we do not show one: any site that does is estimating.
To find the real figure for your major, check California Institute of Technology's Common Data Set and its admissions page, or ask an admissions officer directly — that question gets answered more often than students expect.
At California Institute of Technology: 36 bachelor's degrees awarded a year · $83,177 median earnings (Mechanical Engineering.)
Most engineering colleges admit students directly into the college rather than the university at large, and review them against a separate, usually more selective pool.
Check: Whether you apply to the engineering college directly, and what happens if you are not admitted — some schools offer general admission with a later transfer path, others do not.
Federal data shows no bachelor's completions at California Institute of Technology in computer science, nursing, business, architecture or visual & performing arts, so those are not listed above. Small or new programs can be missing from federal reporting — confirm with the school before ruling one out.
What graduates earn, by major
Median earnings and median federal loan debt for bachelor's graduates of California Institute of Technology, by field of study, from the U.S. Department of Education. Earnings differ far more between majors at one school than between schools.
| Major | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering. · Engineering | $83,177 | — |
Largest programs shown. Earnings are measured a few years after graduation and reflect who enrolls as much as what is taught.
Is California Institute of Technology a reach, target, or safety for you?
Ladder2College models your personal admission odds and net cost here — based on your GPA, scores, and family income — and shows how it fits alongside the rest of your list.
Model my odds & cost — freeFigures are estimates modeled on U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data and recent reporting, provided for guidance only. Always confirm cost with California Institute of Technology’s official net price calculator and admissions figures with the school directly.