Facts & Stats

The mission of the California Institute of Technology is to expand human knowledge and benefit society through research integrated with education. We investigate the most challenging, fundamental problems in science and technology in a singularly collegial, interdisciplinary atmosphere, while educating outstanding students to become creative members of society.

Caltech Fact Sheet 2012-2013 (pdf)

2011 Caltech Overview Brochure

 

 

Location
Caltech's 124-acre campus is situated in Pasadena, California, a city of 141,000 at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, approximately 30 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean and 10 miles northeast of the Los Angeles Civic Center.

The Institute is an independent, privately supported university.

The Campus

Academic Organization Top
Caltech has six academic divisions:

Beneath this apparently simple organization lie some 40 areas of concentration in science, mathematics, engineering, and the humanities and social sciences.

Student Body Profile

Fall Enrollment 2012-2013

Undergraduate Students:
Total: 997
Men: 615
Women: 382

Graduate Students:
Total: 1,246
Men: 888
Women: 358

Office of the Registrar 2012-2013 Enrollment Profile

2012 Freshman Class

  
  • There were 5,537 applications for the 2012 freshman class; 652 offers of admission were made, and 264 students matriculated: 166 men and 98 women.
  • 69 percent of 2012 freshmen attended public high schools; 24 percent attended private schools; and 5 percent attended international schools.
    		•
  • 32 percent are from California; 5 percent from the Northeast; 13 percent from the Midwest; 12 percent from the South; 14 percent from the Mid-Atlantic region; 9 percent from the West (excluding California); 8 percent from the Southwest; 6 percent are international students. 23 percent of students were born outside the United States.
    		•
  • Their most popular extracurricular activities were science/math teams (75%); volunteering/community service (86%); music (55%); scientific research (57%); and sports (47%).
  • 94 percent of those who reported class rank were in the top 10 percent of their class.
  • Fifty-four percent of undergraduates receive need-based financial assistance. 
    		•

     

    Degrees Awarded, June 2012

    BS 232
    MS  122
    PhD  172

    Overall graduate rate: 92%
    *full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates
    *graduation rates are within 150% of normal time to program completion (6 years)

    Faculty in Residence 

    (as of December 2010)

    Professorial faculty 330
    Emeriti 100
    Research faculty 74
    Other faculty 57
    Visiting faculty 208
    Visitors 112
    Caltech also employees 621 Postdoctoral scholars and 35 Senior Postdoctoral scholars who work with professors in existing research programs.

    Employees 

    (as of December 2011)

    Campus (excluding faculty and students) 3,900
    JPL (excluding contractors) 5,000

    Living Alumni 

    Total 22,865  (as of May 2013)

    Degrees:

    BS 11,727
    MS 7,781
    Engineer 307
     
    Certificate 52
    PhD 7,325
    Ex student 612
    Total 27,804

    (The total number of degrees is greater than the number of living alumni because many graduates have multiple Caltech degrees.)