HighSchoolOS How to Get Into California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA · Private nonprofit · 2025-2026 cycle · Verified data
California Institute of Technology Admissions Statistics
How to Actually Get Into California Institute of Technology
Understand what 2.6% really means
Below roughly a 15% admit rate, admissions stops being something you earn cleanly and becomes probabilistic. Nearly everyone who applies to California Institute of Technology has strong stats, so strong stats get you into contention, not into the class. Treat California Institute of Technology as a reach no matter your profile, and build real targets and a real safety underneath it. If your list is all schools like this one, your expected outcome is mostly rejections, regardless of how strong you are.
Use the Restrictive Early Action round deliberately
California Institute of Technology uses Restrictive Early Action: non-binding, but it limits where else you can apply early. That restriction is the price of signaling first-choice interest without the ED lock-in. It only makes sense if California Institute of Technology is genuinely your top pick; otherwise keep your early rounds flexible.
The bigger picture: no single school decides your outcome, the shape of your whole list does. Read how top counselors build a college list before you finalize where California Institute of Technology fits.
California Institute of Technology Application Deadlines (2025-2026)
| Round | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Regular Decision (RD) | January 5, 2026 |
| Restrictive Early Action (REA) | November 1, 2025 |
Deadlines verified from official sources for the 2025-2026 cycle. Rounds change year to year, always confirm on the school's site before submitting.
Application Requirements & Costs
| Application platform | Common App |
| Application fee | $75 |
| Test scores | Required |
| Writing supplement | Not required |
| Counselor recommendation | Not required |
| Teacher evaluations | 2 |
California Institute of Technology Cost & Financial Aid
| Total cost of attendance (sticker, per year) | $86,886 |
| Tuition & fees | $65,898 |
| Room & board (on campus) | $20,283 |
| Average net price (aid-receiving families) | $16,075 |
What You'd Actually Pay, by Family Income
Average net price per year (after grants and scholarships) for aid-receiving families, from federal College Scorecard data:
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0-30k | $-2,133 |
| $30-48k | $-2,886 |
| $48-75k | $431 |
| $75-110k | $18,753 |
| $110k+ | $54,157 |
These are averages, not your number. Get your family's actual price in about 10 minutes:
Use California Institute of Technology's Official Net Price Calculator →More California Institute of Technology Data, Coming Soon
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