What Is Caltech’s Acceptance Rate for the Class of 2030?
Caltech admitted 428 students for the Class of 2030. The total applicant count has not yet been released, but based on recent trends (11,000-13,800 applications), the acceptance rate is projected at 3-4%. For the Class of 2029, Caltech admitted 427 from 11,285 applicants, a 3.78% rate (Caltech News). The Class of 2028 set the all-time record at 2.27% (315 from 13,863). Only approximately 230 students actually enroll each year, making Caltech’s incoming class smaller than any single residential college at Yale or Harvard. For context, see our Top 25 admissions statistics.
| Class | Applications | Admitted | Enrolled (est.) | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2030 | TBD | 428 | ~230 | ~3-4% |
| Class of 2029 | 11,285 | 427 | ~230 | 3.78% |
| Class of 2028 | 13,863 | 315 | ~235 | 2.27% |
| Class of 2027 | 13,136 | 412 | ~235 | 3.14% |
| Class of 2026 | 16,626 | ~432 | ~240 | 2.69% |
| Class of 2021 | 7,339 | 568 | ~235 | 7.74% |
Source: Caltech CDS, Caltech News, secondary admissions reporting, 2017-2026.
Does Caltech’s Early Action Give You Better Odds?
No, not meaningfully. Caltech states on its website that the admit rate is “under 5% for both Early Action and Regular Decision” with “negligible differences” between the two. This is unusual: at most top schools, early rounds have significantly higher acceptance rates. Caltech uses Restrictive Early Action (you cannot apply early elsewhere to private schools), which limits your options without providing a statistical boost. Caltech explicitly advises students not to apply early solely to improve their odds. For early strategy at other schools, see our ED vs RD guide.
What GPA and Test Scores Do You Need for Caltech?
Caltech reinstated SAT/ACT requirements after finding that 95% of applicants submitted scores anyway during the test-optional period. The middle 50% SAT is 1540-1590 and ACT is 35-36. Caltech superscores the SAT and requires all test scores to be submitted. Most admitted students have an unweighted GPA at or very near 4.0 with a full roster of AP/IB courses, including calculus, physics, and chemistry as absolute requirements. Caltech requires four years of math including calculus, one year of chemistry, one year of physics, at least three years of English, and recommends biology. For testing strategy, see our test strategy guide.
How Does Caltech Compare to MIT and Ivy League Schools?
| School | Acceptance Rate | Class Size | Requires Testing? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caltech | 3.78% | ~230 | Yes |
| Harvard | ~3.5% | ~1,650 | Test-optional |
| MIT | 4.6% | ~1,100 | Yes |
| Columbia | ~3.9% | ~1,400 | Test-flexible |
| UChicago | 4.48% | ~1,800 | Test-optional |
| Princeton | ~4.5% | ~1,300 | Test-optional |
Source: Institutional data, CDS, 2024-2026.
What Makes Caltech’s Application Unique?
Caltech is a pure STEM school with no humanities-only degrees. Every student takes the same core curriculum in physics, math, chemistry, and biology regardless of major. One-third of admitted students historically submit a portfolio or “maker work” showcasing technical projects. Approximately 20% are scholar-athletes (Division III). Caltech’s Honor Code allows students to take unproctored, self-scheduled exams, reflecting a culture of trust and intellectual independence. The school enrolls only ~230 students per year, making it the smallest top-10 university by a wide margin. For building your profile, see our summer programs guide and high school internships guide.
What Are Your Chances on Caltech’s Waitlist?
Caltech’s waitlist is wildly inconsistent. For the Class of 2028, the waitlist rate was 23.98% (41 admitted), which is deceptively high because the underlying numbers are small. For the Classes of 2027 and 2025, zero students were admitted from the waitlist. The waitlist moves when Caltech’s yield dips below the ~230 enrollment target, which happens unpredictably. For LOCI strategy, see our LOCI guide. For complete data, see our waitlist rates comparison.
Final Thoughts: Caltech Admissions in 2026
Caltech is the hardest school in the country to get into by raw acceptance rate. Its tiny class size (~230), mandatory testing, pure STEM focus, and no meaningful early-round advantage make it a unique challenge. Students who apply to Caltech should also apply to MIT, CMU, and other STEM powerhouses as part of a balanced list. At Oriel Admissions, our team of former admissions officers from Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia has helped students earn acceptances to Caltech and other top universities. Schedule a consultation to discuss how we can help. For essay strategy, see our Common App essay guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
By raw acceptance rate, yes. But the comparison requires context. Caltech receives approximately 13,000 applications versus MIT’s 26,000 and Harvard’s 57,000. The applicant pool is hyper-self-selected – virtually every Caltech applicant has exceptional STEM credentials. For a dedicated STEM student, Caltech and MIT are comparably difficult. Harvard’s lower percentage reflects broader applicant volume including many non-competitive applications. The practical takeaway: apply to all three if your child is a top STEM student, because the applicant pools overlap heavily and admission at one does not predict admission at another.
This profile is genuinely competitive for Caltech – math competition achievement is among the strongest predictors of Caltech admission. Caltech’s admissions team has historically valued mathematical talent and problem-solving ability over polished extracurricular resumes. That said, at 3.78%, Caltech is a reach for every applicant regardless of credentials. A math olympiad qualifier with strong research experience and authentic scientific curiosity is in the most competitive tier, but even within that tier, the majority are rejected. Apply to Caltech, but do not treat it as anything more than a reach.
Caltech offers Restrictive Early Action (REA) with decisions in mid-December. The REA acceptance rate is modestly higher than RD, and applying early signals genuine interest. Because REA is non-binding, there is no downside if Caltech is a top choice. However, Caltech’s REA restrictions prevent you from applying ED elsewhere, so you need to weigh whether using your early round on Caltech (no binding commitment, very low rate even in REA) is better than using ED at a school where the binding commitment provides a larger statistical advantage. For students where Caltech is the genuine dream school, REA is the correct choice.
Caltech’s curriculum is approximately 90% STEM. The Humanities and Social Sciences division exists but is small, and the course options are limited compared to MIT, Stanford, or any Ivy League school. Caltech produces exceptional scientists and engineers but does not pretend to offer a liberal arts education. If your child has genuine humanities passions alongside STEM, MIT is the better choice – it has stronger humanities departments and more flexibility. If your child wants total STEM immersion without the distraction of distribution requirements in non-STEM fields, Caltech is unmatched.
It depends on what your child values. The small class creates an intimate community with a 3:1 student-to-faculty ratio, unparalleled research access (nearly 100% of students do research), and a collaborative culture where everyone knows each other. The downside: limited social diversity, fewer extracurricular options, fewer course choices outside STEM, and a campus that can feel isolating for students who want a broad college experience. Students who thrive at Caltech are those who are deeply passionate about science and comfortable in a small, intense academic community. Students who want social breadth, humanities exploration, or a traditional college experience should look elsewhere.
Visit both. The campus experiences are dramatically different despite comparable academic quality. Caltech in Pasadena is small (235 per class), sunny, and intensely focused – the house system creates a tight-knit community. MIT in Cambridge is larger (1,100 per class), urban, and more socially diverse with a broader range of student activities and cultural life. For pure research immersion, Caltech’s student-to-faculty ratio is unmatched. For breadth of experience, MIT offers more flexibility, more student organizations, and a stronger humanities program. Most families who visit both report a clear gut instinct about which campus feels right – trust that instinct.
The historical data is discouraging: Caltech has admitted zero or near-zero students from its waitlist in several recent cycles. With only 235 students in each entering class and a high yield rate, openings are extremely rare. Staying on the waitlist costs nothing except emotional energy, but you should commit fully to your best alternative and treat any Caltech waitlist offer as essentially impossible. If you have an acceptance from MIT, Stanford, or another top STEM program, commit there and move forward. The Caltech waitlist is not a plan – it is a statistical anomaly if it moves at all.
Apply to both if your child is a committed STEM student. Caltech and MIT are not redundant – they offer fundamentally different experiences. MIT is larger (approximately 4,500 undergraduates versus Caltech’s 1,000), more interdisciplinary (stronger humanities and social sciences), and embedded in Boston’s biotech and tech ecosystem. Caltech is more intimate, more research-intensive per student (3:1 student-to-faculty ratio), and immersed in the Southern California aerospace and JPL (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory) ecosystem. For a student who wants maximum research immersion in a small community, Caltech is unique. For a student who wants STEM excellence with broader academic and social options, MIT is the better fit. Geography alone should not eliminate either school.
