There are approximately 900 undergraduate students, 1,100 graduate students and 790 instructional and research faculty at Caltech. Twenty-two members of the faculty and alumni have received Nobel Prizes and 38 faculty and alumni have received the National Medal of Science. Thirteen faculty members have received the California Scientist of the Year award and eight alumni have been astronauts.
Caltech graduates have consistently made important contributions in science, engineering, business, and government. They have been leaders in the discovery of basic scientific principles, the development of new technologies, and the founding of highly successful companies. Caltech students are among the brightest, best educated, and most motivated in the world. As such, they are highly sought after by many different types of organizations.