Caltech is top Ranked
Caltech ranks #4 of top universities in the world, with MIT, Stanford and Harvard, then Oxford (5), Cambridge (6), and next highest U.S. institutions — University of Chicago (9), Princeton (13), Cornell (14) and Yale (15). (2019-2020 QS World University Rankings)
Caltech is more Selective
Of the six top-ranked, Caltech is most restrictive, admitting 230 to a student body of 950 undergraduates. (2018 School data, rounded)
| Admitted | Students | |
|---|---|---|
| Caltech | 230 | 950 |
| MIT | 1,500 | 4,500 |
| Stanford | 2,100 | 7,000 |
| Harvard | 2,000 | 7,000 |
| Oxford | 3,200 | 12,000 |
| Cambridge | 3,500 | 12,000 |
A Meritocracy
Students are admitted based on individual scholastic and personal achievements: no family legacy, no wealth, no donor considerations. Beyond scholarship merit awards, once accepted, every student then receives 100% of whatever financial aid needed to attend, no matter economic circumstance.
Academic Excellence
With 1,200 graduate students and 300 professorial faculty, Caltech maintains an exceptional 3:1 Student:Faculty ratio. 95% of undergrads participate in research projects. The entering class ranks #1 in scholastic achievement globally (2018 Median SAT = 1,557, ACT = 34-36).
Diversity & Opportunity
Of all world universities, Caltech ranks in the Top 5% for an “extremely diverse” student body. Male/Female student ratio 55/45%, Faculty 59/41%. Caltech ranks Top 1% for granting financial aid to its students.
Out-size Influence
Despite its size, Caltech faculty and alumni have earned 39 Nobel Prizes. Visiting scholars have included Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. Caltech ranks #8 globally as the most richly-endowed university in the world ($/per student).
JPL & NASA
Caltech’s nearby Jet Propulsion Laboratory division (JPL) runs nineteen spacecraft and eight instruments for NASA, with five NASA facilities on campus. Founded by Caltech faculty, JPL missions explore the solar system and Cosmos, including the Mars Rovers and Insight, currently drilling into the Martian crust to search for evidence of life forms.
