California Institute of Technology — ROI, Cost & Payback
California Institute of Technology charges a net price of $16,075/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $64,300. Graduates earn a median $128,566 ten years after entry, $80,206/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 0.8 years — a 20-year net return of $1,539,820, a strong payback — the degree clears its cost fast. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
California Institute of Technology's 0.8-year payback ranks #9 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 99% of them, and #6 of 334 in California.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $16,075/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $64,300 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $128,566 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $80,206/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 0.8 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $1,539,820 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on California Institute of Technology's own numbers. Net price $16,075 × 4 years = $64,300 total. Median earnings $128,566 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $80,206 a year of premium. $64,300 ÷ $80,206 = 0.8 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves $1,539,820. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.
What share of California Institute of Technology students graduate?
94% finish their degree. Spread the $64,300 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $68,404 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is California Institute of Technology expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $16,075 net price runs $3,830 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $15,320 less across the full degree.