Babson vs. RPI

Deciding between Babson College and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Babson College
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Babson Wellesley, MA
  • RPI Troy, NY
  • Setting
  • Babson Large Suburban
  • RPI Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Babson 3,932
  • RPI 7,040
  • Type
  • Babson Private 4 Year
  • RPI Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Babson #108
  • RPI #130
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Babson -
  • RPI -
  • Status
  • Babson Non-profit
  • RPI Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Babson
  • RPI

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Babson $57,152
  • RPI $64,081
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Babson $57,152
  • RPI $64,081
  • Room & Board
  • Babson $21,550
  • RPI $18,120
  • Average Net Price
  • Babson $32,019
  • RPI $38,887
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Babson $48,173
  • RPI $43,517
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Babson 39%
  • RPI 95%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Babson 9,381
  • RPI 17,175
  • Admitted
  • Babson 1,603
  • RPI 10,901
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Babson 17.1%
  • RPI 63.5%
  • Enrolled
  • Babson 39%
  • RPI 12.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Babson 1460
  • RPI 1440
  • Typical ACT score
  • Babson 32
  • RPI 32
  • Average High School GPA
  • Babson 3.79
  • RPI 3.88
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Babson A-
  • RPI A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Babson Exceptional
  • RPI Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Babson Very High
  • RPI Low
  • ACT Range
  • Babson 31/34
  • RPI 30/34
  • SAT Range
  • Babson 1390/1530
  • RPI 1375/1510
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Babson Test optional
  • RPI Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Babson Jan 3, 2027
  • RPI Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Babson 15:1
  • RPI 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Babson
    • Business (100%)
  • RPI
    • Engineering (53%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Engineering Technology (5%)
    • Architecture (5%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Babson 90%
  • RPI 84%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Babson $108,500
  • RPI $82,500
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Babson 88%
  • RPI 92%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Babson $26,000
  • RPI $27,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Babson $268
  • RPI $284

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Babson 57%
  • RPI 69%
  • % Women
  • Babson 43%
  • RPI 31%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Babson Very High
  • RPI High
  • HBCU
  • Babson No
  • RPI No
  • % White
  • Babson 38%
  • RPI 59%
  • % Asian
  • Babson 12%
  • RPI 10%
  • % Black
  • Babson 5%
  • RPI 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • Babson 10%
  • RPI 8%
  • % Native American
  • Babson 0%
  • RPI 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Babson 0%
  • RPI 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Babson 2%
  • RPI 7%
  • % International
  • Babson 26%
  • RPI 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Babson 6%
  • RPI 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Babson 18%
  • RPI 37%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Babson 53%
  • RPI 58%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Babson Yes
  • RPI Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Babson No
  • RPI Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Babson Yes
  • RPI Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Babson No
  • RPI No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Babson No
  • RPI No

Comparable Facts

Compare Babson College in Wellesley, MA with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than Babson based on total student enrollment (7,040 students vs. 3,932 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Babson College is located in Wellesley, MA (Large Suburban setting); Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is in Troy, NY (Small City setting).
  • Babson College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Babson College 15:1; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 14:1.

Babson vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Babson or RPI? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Babson College than RPI ($32,019 vs. $38,887).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 15.9% lower than at Babson College ($18,120 vs. $21,550).
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 12.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Babson (about $6,929 more per year; $64,081.00 vs. $57,152.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 12.1% higher at RPI than at Babson College (about $6,929 more per year; $64,081.00 vs. $57,152.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than at Babson College (95% vs. 39%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Babson College students is 10.7% larger than aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students ($48,173 vs. $43,517).

Babson vs. RPI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Babson or RPI? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between RPI and Babson.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Babson College (1460) is 20 points higher than at RPI (1440).
  • Incoming Babson students have the same typical ACT composite (median estimate; 32) as students at RPI (32).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Babson College 1390/1530; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 1375/1510.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Babson College 31/34; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 30/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Babson - Test optional; RPI - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Babson Jan 3, 2027; RPI Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Babson (3.79).
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (63.5%) than Babson (17.1%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 39% at Babson vs. 12.1% at RPI.

Babson vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Babson and RPI? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Babson College's six-year graduation rate (90%) is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's (84%).
  • Graduates from Babson College earn a median of about $26,000 more per year than RPI graduates about ten years after starting college ($108,500 vs. $82,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Babson College graduates have a $1,500 lower median loan debt than RPI graduates ($26,000 vs. $27,500).
  • Among borrowers, Babson graduates have an estimated $16 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than RPI graduates ($268 vs. $284).
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Babson students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 88%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.