California Institute of Technology

California Institute of Technology is a small private non-profit R1 doctoral research university located in Pasadena, California, with an undergraduate enrollment of 987. As a Carnegie R1 doctoral research institution, it supports graduate and professional programs across a broad range of academic disciplines alongside its undergraduate curriculum, with faculty engaged in funded research programs. As an independently governed, non-profit institution relying on tuition, endowment returns, and philanthropic support, it operates within the broader California postsecondary education landscape and is regionally accredited, making its credits and degrees eligible for federal financial aid. With a 3% acceptance rate, admission is highly selective. With fewer than 1 in 10 applicants admitted, the institution ranks among the most competitive in the country for undergraduate admission. Net price for families earning \$48,001–$75,000 averages $431 per year. The highest program-level earnings outcomes are in CIP 00 — 10-year median earnings among aid recipients in these fields reach $119,626. The 4-year graduation rate is 94%, 49 percentage points above the national average of 45%. Among students who received federal financial aid, 10-year median earnings are $128,566. FIRE rates the campus free speech climate at 56/100 — a mixed record on speech protections.