Caltech's BS in Computer Science, housed in the Division of Engineering and Applied Science, is one of the most selective computer science undergraduate programs in the country, taught inside a university deliberately kept small: roughly 1,000 undergraduates and 1,400 graduate students share a compact Pasadena campus with one of the lowest student-faculty ratios of any US research university. Caltech manages NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) under contract, and its shared, famously rigorous core curriculum means every Computer Science undergraduate also completes substantial math, physics, and chemistry coursework regardless of major, producing graduates with an unusually deep quantitative foundation relative to CS graduates from larger, less STEM-concentrated universities.
This guide walks through what it actually takes to get into Caltech's Computer Science program: the acceptance-rate reality, cost, requirements, English-test rules, and where graduates go.
Acceptance Rate
Caltech does not publish a separate acceptance rate for Computer Science; Caltech admits students to the Institute as a whole, not to a specific major, so there is no dedicated "CS acceptance rate" in Caltech's own process:
- Caltech's own published Class of 2029 figures show 427 students admitted from 11,285 applicants, a 3.78% overall acceptance rate, among the lowest of any US university.
- The middle 50% SAT range for admitted students is 1540-1580, with math scores clustering almost entirely at 790-800; the ACT middle-50% range is approximately 35-36 (drawn from third-party aggregation of Caltech's Common Data Set, not a single live-fetched official figure, so treat it as approximate).
- Computer Science is consistently one of Caltech's most sought-after majors within the Division of Engineering and Applied Science, so while there is no separate departmental filter at the application stage, CS-track applicants should not assume the overall 3.78% figure understates how competitive CS specifically is for post-matriculation research placements and lab access.
Bottom line: treat Caltech's 3.78% overall acceptance rate as the honest, university-wide figure that applies here, since there is no CS-specific number to report; Caltech Computer Science should be approached as one of the most competitive undergraduate CS pathways in the world.
Fees and Cost of Attendance
Caltech's official 2026-27 undergraduate cost of attendance, per Caltech's own published estimate:
| Cost Item | Amount (USD/year) |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees | $71,229 |
| Living expenses (housing, food, books, personal) | $27,393 |
| Total estimated cost of attendance | $98,622 |
For a four-year BS in Computer Science, that puts total program cost at roughly $390,000-$400,000 before any financial aid. Caltech's need-based aid program is genuinely generous: families earning under roughly $100,000/year are generally not expected to pay tuition or fees, and every admitted student offered aid has 100% of demonstrated financial need met with no loans in the standard package. Caltech's application fee is $85. International and domestic students are charged identical tuition.
Caltech is need-aware, not need-blind, for international undergraduate applicants, because its international financial-aid budget is limited. Aid must be requested with the initial application; students who do not request aid as first-years generally cannot request it later in their Caltech career.
Admission Requirements
Based on Caltech's published international undergraduate requirements:
- Common Application or QuestBridge Application
- School report from counselor
- Official transcripts (grades 9-11) and a Mid-Year Report
- Two teacher recommendation letters (one STEM, one humanities/social sciences)
- SAT or ACT scores, required (unlike many US peer universities that have gone test-optional)
- AP/IB scores, if taken
- English proficiency scores (IELTS/TOEFL/Duolingo) for international applicants who don't qualify for a waiver
- Application fee of $85, or an approved fee waiver
Caltech offers two application rounds: Restrictive Early Action (deadline November 1, decisions mid-December) and Regular Decision (deadline January 4, decisions mid-March). Caltech does not publish a minimum GPA, but admitted students typically present a near-perfect academic record alongside substantial independent research, competition results (e.g. programming competitions, science fairs), or significant technical project/open-source work.
How to Get Into Caltech's Computer Science Program
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Show demonstrated technical work beyond coursework grades. Because Caltech's applicant pool already clusters near-perfect SAT math scores, differentiation comes from competitive programming results, substantial personal or open-source projects, or research experience, not grades alone.
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Treat the essays as your main non-quantitative signal. With test scores and grades already extremely strong across the applicant pool, the Common Application essays and Caltech-specific short-answer prompts carry real weight in distinguishing otherwise similar applicants.
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Get one STEM and one humanities/social sciences recommendation that speak to genuine capability. Caltech explicitly requires this split, so choose recommenders who can describe specific, memorable evidence of your ability, not just general praise.
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Clear the English-proficiency bar with room to spare. Caltech's IELTS 7.0 / TOEFL 100 requirement applies a per-section minimum equal to the overall score, so Writing in particular deserves focused preparation, since Caltech's own coursework assumes fluent technical English from day one.
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Request financial aid with your initial application if you'll need it. Because Caltech is need-aware for international applicants and generally does not allow aid requests to be added later, decide and act on this before submitting, not after admission.
English Proficiency Requirement (IELTS/TOEFL)
Caltech applies one consistent English-proficiency bar at both undergraduate and graduate level:
- IELTS: minimum 7.0 overall, with a per-section minimum of 7 as well (no single component may fall below the overall requirement)
- TOEFL: minimum 100 overall (legacy 0-120 scale, tests before January 21, 2026), with a per-section minimum of 25; 5 overall on ETS's new 1-6 CEFR-aligned scale for tests taken from that date onward
- Duolingo English Test: minimum 130, accepted at undergraduate level
- Waiver: required of all international applicants unless the applicant's native language is English or English was the primary language of instruction at their secondary school
- Caltech does not offer conditional admission or a bridge/pathway English program; tests must be completed before the application deadline
For general context on applying to Caltech, see the Caltech guide. International applicants strong in STEM coursework typically clear Reading and Listening comfortably; Writing is the section most likely to sit closest to the 7.0/100 floor, particularly for applicants whose secondary schooling emphasized problem sets over long-form academic writing.
Career Outcomes
Caltech does not publish outcomes broken out specifically for Computer Science, so the figures below reflect Caltech's broader undergraduate outcomes landscape:
- Top recruiters (university-wide undergraduate): NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Google, SpaceX, Northrop Grumman, Amazon, and a large share of graduates go directly into top PhD programs rather than the workforce
- Caltech does not publish an employment rate or average starting salary figure university-wide or for Computer Science specifically
- Computer Science graduates are heavily recruited by major technology and aerospace employers given the program's location in the Los Angeles tech and aerospace corridor and Caltech's own management of JPL, and a meaningful share continue directly into PhD programs (Caltech's graduate popular programs list includes a PhD in Computer Science)
Given Caltech's small class sizes and research-intensive culture, Computer Science graduates benefit from close faculty relationships and research access that are harder to replicate at larger CS programs, even where those programs carry a similarly strong brand.
FAQ
Does Caltech publish a separate acceptance rate for Computer Science? No. Caltech admits students to the Institute as a whole, not to a specific major, so there is no Computer-Science-specific acceptance rate. The best available figure is Caltech's own published overall acceptance rate of 3.78% for the Class of 2029.
What IELTS or TOEFL score do I need for Caltech Computer Science? Caltech applies the same minimum at both undergraduate and graduate level: IELTS 7.0 overall (no component below 7) or TOEFL 100 overall on the legacy scale (5 overall on ETS's new CEFR-aligned scale for tests taken from January 21, 2026 onward). Duolingo (minimum 130) is also accepted at undergraduate level.
Is the SAT or ACT required for Caltech? Yes. Unlike many peer US universities that have gone test-optional, Caltech requires SAT or ACT scores from all first-year applicants. The middle 50% SAT range for recently admitted students is 1540-1580.
How much does Caltech's Computer Science program cost for international students? Tuition and fees are $71,229/year, with total estimated cost of attendance around $98,622/year, roughly $390,000-$400,000 for the full four-year degree before financial aid. Caltech meets 100% of demonstrated need for admitted students who are offered aid, with no loans in the standard package.
Is Caltech need-blind for international applicants? No. Caltech is need-aware (not need-blind) specifically for international undergraduate applicants, because its international financial-aid budget is limited. Aid must be requested with the initial application, since it generally cannot be requested for the first time in a later year.
Is Caltech Computer Science harder to get into than MIT or Stanford CS? All three are extremely competitive, and none publishes a directly comparable department-level admit rate; Caltech's own overall figure (3.78%) is among the lowest of any US university, so applicants should treat Caltech as at least as selective as its closest peers and apply with an equally strong, tailored application.