California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA
California Institute of Technology admitted 428 of 11,285 applicants for the fall 2025 entering class (3.8%).
Every figure on this page is published by the college or a federal survey, and carries the source it came from. They describe the fall 2025 entering class, a read on the school, not a prediction about any one applicant.
What stands out at California Institute of Technology
Three things California Institute of Technology published, ranked by how much each could change what you actually do, not by how impressive it looks. Every one describes a class that has already enrolled.
California Institute of Technology files the essay under “very important”.
That is the top of the scale the form offers, and the only other factors this school puts there are Course rigor, Test scores and Recommendations.
Source: their Common Data Set, fall 2025
California Institute of Technology files test scores under “very important”.
That is the school’s own placement on the grid it publishes every year. 78% of the enrolled class sent an SAT.
Source: their Common Data Set, fall 2025
1 admitted from a waitlist of 263.
211 students accepted a place on that list, and 1 was admitted from it, 0.5% of the students who waited. A waitlist offer here is not a near-miss anyone can plan around.
Source: their Common Data Set, fall 2025
Every figure, in full
The same measured fields on every one of these pages. Nothing is filled in where the school published nothing.
Acceptance rate
3.8%
428 admitted of 11,285 applicants
Source: their Common Data Set, fall 2025
ACT, middle 50%
35–36
Source: their Common Data Set, fall 2025
Enrolled students who sent an SAT
78%
Counted per test: a student may send both.
Source: their Common Data Set, fall 2025
Enrolled students who sent an ACT
22%
Counted per test: a student may send both.
Source: their Common Data Set, fall 2025
Where do you actually stand at California Institute of Technology?
The figures above describe a class that already enrolled. GoodGoblin reads them against your own transcript, scores and activities, then builds the balanced list, the essay plan and the deadline calendar around what it finds.
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What California Institute of Technology says it weighs
The school's own words, from the form it fills in every year. Ranked as it ranks them.
- Essayvery important
Source: their Common Data Set, fall 2025
- Course rigorvery important
Source: their Common Data Set, fall 2025
- Test scoresvery important
Source: their Common Data Set, fall 2025
- Recommendationsvery important
Source: their Common Data Set, fall 2025
- GPAimportant
Source: their Common Data Set, fall 2025
- Class rankimportant
Source: their Common Data Set, fall 2025
Not considered
- Legacy
Source: their Common Data Set, fall 2025
- Interview
Source: their Common Data Set, fall 2025
- Demonstrated interest
Source: their Common Data Set, fall 2025
The waitlist, as the school reported it
Published counts, including the ones schools rarely lead with.
- Offered a waitlist place
- 263
- Accepted the place
- 211
- Admitted from the waitlist
- 1
Source: their Common Data Set, fall 2025
What students actually pay
Net price after grants and scholarships: not the sticker price.
Average net price: $16,075 a year.
- $48k–$75k
- $431
- $75k–$110k
- $18,753
- Over $110k
- $54,157
Source: the College Scorecard
Essays on this application
14 essay prompts on the application: 10 you would write, 2 optional, 2 not yet confirmed.
A prompt we have not yet confirmed is counted on its own rather than called optional, treating an unconfirmed prompt as optional is how a student skips an essay their college expects.
Published deadlines
Each date is read from the college's own materials and re-checked on a schedule.
Guides for California Institute of Technology applicants
More colleges on the record
Every one of these carries the same measured figures, with the same sources.
Other colleges in California
The pages nearest this one on acceptance rate, in the same state.
Colleges with a nearby acceptance rate
Anywhere in the country, ordered by how close the published rate is to this one. A selection rule, not a ranking.
Build the list this school belongs on.
The figures above describe a class that already enrolled. GoodGoblin reads them against your own transcript, scores and activities, then builds the balanced list, the essay plan and the deadline calendar around what it finds.
See where I stand ›3 days free · $0 today · cancel anytime
