Amherst vs. RIT

Should I go to Amherst College or Rochester Institute of Technology? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Amherst or RIT is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Amherst College vs. Rochester Institute of Technology comparison
Amherst College Rochester Institute of Technology College 3 College 4
Amherst College Rochester Institute of Technology
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Overview

Amherst RIT
Location Amherst, MA Rochester, NY
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,898 16,615
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #172
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu rit.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst RIT
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $53,720
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $53,720
Room & Board $16,750 $14,978
Avg Net Price $21,367 $39,600
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $29,122
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 97%

Admission

Amherst RIT
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 23,976
Admitted 1,079 16,105
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 67.2%
Enrolled % 43.3% 19.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 32/35 29/33
SAT Range 1420/1550 1270/1450
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 2, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Amherst RIT
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (16%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Engineering Technology (11%)

Outcomes

Amherst RIT
Graduation Rate 96% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $64,900
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $28,000
Median Loan Payment $134 $289

Diversity

Amherst RIT
% Men 48% 65%
% Women 52% 35%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 42% 66%
% Black 12% 5%
% Hispanic 13% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 10% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

Amherst RIT
% In-State 13% 47%
% Out-of-State 74% 49%

Campus

Amherst RIT
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Rochester Institute of Technology is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (16,615 students vs. 1,898 students)

Amherst vs. RIT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or RIT ?

  • Amherst College is 18.2% more expensive to attend than RIT for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $53,720.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.2% higher at Amherst than Rochester Institute of Technology ($63,500.00 vs. $53,720.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than RIT ($21,367 vs. $39,600)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rochester Institute of Technology are 11.8% lower than costs at Amherst College ($14,978 vs. $16,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rochester Institute of Technology than Amherst College (97% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 101.5% larger than aid received Rochester Institute of Technology ($58,693 vs. $29,122)

Amherst vs. RIT Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Amherst or RIT ? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between RIT or Amherst .

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 200 points higher than at RIT (1251)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at RIT (29)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at RIT (3.7)
  • RIT has a higher acceptance rate (67.2%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Amherst vs. RIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst or RIT ? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between RIT and Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Rochester Institute of Technology (96% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $17,100 more per year than RIT graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $64,900)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $15,025 lower median federal student loan debt than RIT graduates. ($12,975 vs. $28,000)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $155 less per month on federal student loans than RIT graduates. ($134 vs. $289)
  • More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RIT students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 75%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/