Universities in Pasadena, USA
- Rankings & Reviews -

Latest ranking updates related to universities in Pasadena
  • 06 Mar, 2024: Publication of Scimago Institutions Rankings. California Institute of Technology ranked #140.
  • 25 Jan, 2024: THE World’s Most International Universities updated with California Institute of Technology in position 47.
  • 19 Dec, 2023: Urap published most recent results of URAP World Ranking - University Ranking by Academic Performance. California Institute of Technology achieves position 156.
  • 05 Dec, 2023: Latest QS World University Rankings: Sustainability from British Quacquarelli Symonds, UK. California Institute of Technology in position #254.

Located 11 miles northeast from downtown L.A. we find the city of Pasadena, inhabited mainly by urban professionals, young creative types, and those aspiring to work in the entertainment industry. More often than not, students who move here from all over the country, and even the world, are coming to study at Caltech, one of the most highly ranked universities on the planet.

There is certainly no lack of things to do here outside of school time, but Pasadena is probably most famous for its Rose Parade which kicks off the Rose Bowl Football Game at the very beginning of each year and in which every float must be covered in its entirety with flowers or natural materials. The parade began in 1890 and has been held almost every year since then. In the mid 20th century Pasadena already had a reputation for eccentric residents, and the Doo Dah Parade, a farcical version of the Rose Parade which came into being in the 1970s, only serves to keep that reputation alive.


Rankings of universities in Pasadena, USA 2024

  • #5 
  • #7 
THE World University Rankings
[Published 27 September, 2023]
  • #7 
  • #7 
Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education US College Rankings
[Published 14 September, 2021]
  • #8 
  • #15 
QS World University Rankings
[Published 27 June, 2023]
Show 31 more rankings of California Institute of Technology and subject specific rankings for 6 subjects

Student satisfaction: 5.0 / 5.0 (based on 264 student ratings)
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  • #194 
  • #196 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (Bachelors only)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #264 
  • #269 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (All Alumni)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #570 
  • #573 
MONEY Best Colleges in America, ranked by value
[Published 16 May, 2022]
Show 1 more rankings of Art Center College of Design and subject specific rankings for 1 subjects

#3
USA

Providence Christian College

Student satisfaction: 5.0 / 5.0 (based on 31 student ratings)
  • #192 
  • #186 
US News Best National Liberal Arts Colleges
[Published 27 October, 2023]


#4
USA

Pacific Oaks College

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  • #1440 
  • #1515 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (Bachelors only)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #1455 
  • #1538 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (All Alumni)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #1475 
  • #9046 
Webometrics Ranking Web of Universities
[Published 31 July, 2023]

Highest subject rankings of universities in Pasadena

Computer Science Best Colleges for Computer Science Majors
#2 
California Institute of Technology
Geology QS World University Rankings By Subject
#3 
California Institute of Technology
Engineering THE World University Rankings by Subject
#7 
California Institute of Technology
Mathematics QS World University Rankings By Subject
#17 
California Institute of Technology
Agriculture URAP University Ranking by Academic Performance - By Field
#109 
California Institute of Technology
Geography GRAS Global Ranking of Academic Subjects - ShanghaiRanking
#151 
California Institute of Technology
Nursing & Health Care Payscale College Salary Report - Best Schools by Majors
#668 
Pacific Oaks College

Student Opinions About Studying in Pasadena

“The nightlife here is top-notch and I would say it’s probably the best way to spend time with your friends here. All the best venues being in the downtown area. The entire area gives a small town vibe, which might not be what everyone is expecting when they move somewhere like this.”

“There’s a great mix of different kinds of people living here, so you’re likely to meet people from every walk of life you can imagine. Fantastic and varied dining options, and stunning public parks all over the place. If I had to complain about something, it’s that the people who live here have an exaggerated sense of their own importance.”

“Pasadena is a very walkable city if you’re living near the downtown area, otherwise you’re almost definitely going to need a car or depend on rideshare apps. Crime is fairly low here compared to some surrounding areas as well, but some areas can be a little scary at night.”

Pasadena Key Facts for International Students

PROS

  • Pasadena is a great place for finding work; there tend to be job positions advertised here from a wide variety of industries. Some of the most prominent employers in the city are CalTech, Huntington Hospital, Kaiser Permanente, and the research center is known as the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Additionally, downtown Los Angeles being just 25 minutes away widens your employment options even further.

  • This city is a cultural melting pot, and that’s reflected in the impressive international variety of Pasadena’s dining options.

  • Cultural diversity is one of the city’s strong points, with many residents being from other US states and even other countries. Many come to Pasadena for all the opportunities associated with living in the L.A orbit.

CONS

  • Unsurprisingly, due to being located in the state of California, the high cost of living is a real challenge for many people living in Pasadena. The average cost of renting a 2-bedroom apartment in this city comes to around $2,495, which is still a significant sum of money even after sharing the cost with a roommate. It’s recommended to check out some of the more affordable neighborhoods to see if any good deals are available.

  • The public transport is considered practically unusable, and many agree that having access to a car is going to be a necessity for getting around and having a good quality of life.


4 out of 4 Universities in Pasadena Ranked in at least one ranking

36 Different Rankings list Universities in Pasadena (26 institution and 10 subject rankings)

29 Global Rankings rank Universities in Pasadena Among TOP 200

Time: GMT +0

Living costs for students in Pasadena:
  • Big Mac price (USA average): 0.00 (16% more expensive than in United Kingdom)
  • Plug Type A
    • Residential voltage: 120 V
    • Frequency: 60 Hz
  • Plug Type B
    • Residential voltage: 120 V
    • Frequency: 60 Hz

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FAQ

California Institute of Technology ranks #1 in Pasadena in our meta ranking composed of 112 university rankings.

Among all universities in Pasadena California Institute of Technology is listed in the largest number of rankings. See all 46 rankings where California Institute of Technology is listed.

California Institute of Technology is ranked best in Pasadena for Computer Science (Computer Science). See all rankings for the California Institute of Technology.

California Institute of Technology is ranked best in Pasadena for Natural Sciences (Geology). See all rankings for the California Institute of Technology.

California Institute of Technology is ranked best in Pasadena for Engineering (Engineering). See all rankings for the California Institute of Technology.

California Institute of Technology is ranked best in Pasadena for Mathematics (Mathematics). See all rankings for the California Institute of Technology.

California Institute of Technology is ranked best in Pasadena for Agriculture (Agriculture). See all rankings for the California Institute of Technology.

California Institute of Technology is ranked best in Pasadena for Social Studies & Humanities (Geography). See all rankings for the California Institute of Technology.

Pacific Oaks College is ranked best in Pasadena for Medicine & Health (Nursing & Health Care). See all rankings for the Pacific Oaks College.

Ranking publishers

4icu

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British Quacquarelli Symonds, UK

Criteria used in ranking -QS World University Rankings:

Academic Reputation 40% Employer Reputation 10% Faculty/Student Ratio 20% Citations per faculty 20% International Faculty Ratio 5% International Student Ratio 5%

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Criteria used in ranking -QS Employability Rankings:

Employer reputation 30% Alumni outcomes 25% Partnerships with Employers per Faculty 25% Employer/Student Connections 10% Graduate employment rate 10%

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CWUR Center for World University Rankings

Criteria used in ranking -CWUR Center for World University Rankings:

Research Performance: 40%

  • Research Output: 10%
  • High-Quality Publications: 10%
  • Influence: 10%
  • Citations: 10%

Quality of Education: 25%

Alumni Employment: 25%

Quality of Faculty: 10%

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Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Leiden University, Netherlands

Criteria used in ranking -CWTS Leiden Ranking:

Scientific Impact Number of Publications Collaboration Open Access Gender Diversity

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Forbes

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Kiplinger

Criteria used in ranking -Kiplinger's Best College Values:

Quality Criteria 55% Cost Criteria 45%

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MONEY

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Criteria used in ranking -MONEY Best Colleges in America, ranked by value:

Quality of education 33.33% Affordability 33.33% Outcomes 33.33%

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NTU ranking

Criteria used in ranking -NTU Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers:

Research Productivity: 25%

  • # Articles last 11 years: 10%
  • # Articles current year: 15%

Research Impact: 35%

  • # Citations last 11 years: 15%
  • # Citations last 2 years: 10%
  • Average # citations last 11 years: 10%

Research Excellence: 40%

  • H-index last 2 years: 10%
  • # Highly cited papers last 11 years: 15%
  • # Articles current year in high-impact journals: 15%

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Nature Index

Criteria used in ranking -Nature Index - Academic:

Article count (AC) Fractional count (FC) Weighted fractional count (WFC)

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Payscale

Criteria used in ranking -Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (Bachelors only):

Ranking is based on ROI

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RUR Ranking Agency (Moscow, Russia)

Criteria used in ranking -RUR World University Rankings:

Teaching: 40%

  • Ratio Faculty/Student: 8%
  • Ratio Faculty/Bachelor Degrees Awarded: 8%
  • Ratio Faculty/Doctoral Degrees Awarded: 8%
  • Ratio Doctoral Degrees Awarded/Bachelor Degrees Awarded: 8%
  • World Teaching Reputation: 8%

Research: 40%

  • Citations per Academic/Research Staff: 8%
  • Doctoral Degrees per Accepted PhD: 8%
  • Normalized Citation Impact: 8%
  • Papers per Academic/Research Staff: 8%
  • World Research Reputation: 8%

International Diversity: 10%

  • International Faculty: 2%
  • International Students: 2%
  • International Co-Authored Papers: 2%
  • Reputation Outside Geographical Region: 2%
  • International Level: 2%

Financial Sustainability: 10%

  • Institutional Income per Faculty: 2%
  • Institutional Income per Student: 2%
  • Papers per Research Income: 2%
  • Research Income per Academic/Research Staff: 2%
  • Research Income per Institutional Income: 2%

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Criteria used in ranking -RUR Academic Rankings:

Normalized citation impact (Citations of research publications from all university authors compared with world averages) 20% Citation per papers 20% Papers per academic and research staff 20% International research reputation 20% Share of research publications written in international co-authorship 20%

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Criteria used in ranking -RUR Reputation Ranking:

Teaching Reputation 50% Research Reputation 50%

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Scimago Institutions

Criteria used in ranking -Scimago Institutions Rankings:

Research 50% Innovation 30%
Societal 20%

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ShanghaiRanking Consultancy

Criteria used in ranking -ARWU Academic Ranking of World Universities - ShanghaiRanking:

Quality of Education 10%

  • Alumni winning Nobel Prizes/Field Medals 10%

Quality of Faculty 40%

  • Staff winning Nobel Prizes/Field Medals 20%
  • Highly Cited Researchers 20%

Research Output 40%

  • Papers published in Nature and Science 20%
  • Papers indexed in Science Citation Index-Expanded & Social Science Citation Index 20%

Per Capita Performance 10%

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THE Times Higher Education, UK

Criteria used in ranking -THE World University Rankings:

30% Teaching (the Learning Environment)

  • Reputation survey: 15%
  • Staff-to-student ratio: 4.5%
  • Doctorate-to-bachelor’s ratio: 2.25%
  • Doctorates-awarded-to-academic-staff ratio: 6%
  • Institutional income: 2.25%

30% Research (Volume, Income and Reputation)

  • Reputation survey: 18%
  • Research income: 6%
  • Research productivity: 6%

30% Citations (Research Influence)

7.5% International Outlook (Staff, Students and Research)

  • Proportion of international students: 2.5%
  • Proportion of international staff: 2.5%
  • International collaboration: 2.5%

2.5% Industry Income (Knowledge Transfer)"

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Criteria used in ranking -THE Global Employability University Ranking:

Employability (survey) 100%

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Criteria used in ranking -THE World Reputation Rankings:

Research Reputation 66,6% Teaching Reputation 33,3%

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Criteria used in ranking -THE World’s Most International Universities:

Proportion of international students 25% Proportion of international staff 25% Proportion of journal publications with one or more international co-authors 25% University’s international reputation 25%

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The Princeton Review

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Thomson Reuters

Criteria used in ranking -Reuters Most Innovative Universities:

Patent Volume 33% Patent Citations 34% Industry Article Citation Impact 11% Percent of Industry Collaborative Articles 11% Total Web of Science Core Collection Papers 11%

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Urap

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Us News

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Wallstreet Journal USA & THE Times Higher Education, UK

Criteria used in ranking -Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education US College Rankings:

Outcomes 40% (employability) Resources 30% Engagement 20% (teaching) Environment 10% (diversity)

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Washington Monthly

Criteria used in ranking -Washington Monthly - National Universities:

Social Mobility 33.33%
Research 33.33%
Community and National Service 33.33%

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Webometrics

Criteria used in ranking -Webometrics Ranking Web of Universities:

Visibility 50% Excellence 35% Transparency 10% Presence 5%

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