Barnard vs. RPI

Should I go to Barnard College or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Barnard or RPI 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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Barnard College vs. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute comparison
Barnard College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute College 3 College 4
Barnard College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
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Overview

 Barnard RPI
Location New York, NY Troy, NY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 3,442 6,968
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #35 #110
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website barnard.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Barnard RPI
Tuition (In State) $60,478 $58,600
Tuition (Out of State) $60,478 $58,600
Room & Board $19,364 $16,980
Avg Net Price $26,009 $39,127
Avg Grant Aid $53,817 $38,636
% Receiving Grant Aid 45% 90%

Admission

 Barnard RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,009 16,863
Admitted 1,056 10,878
Acceptance Rate 8.8% 64.5%
Enrolled % 66% 18.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.85 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 32/34 30/34
SAT Range 1440/1550 1360/1520
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 4, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Barnard RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

 Barnard RPI
Graduation Rate 92% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,900 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,847 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $184 $284

Diversity

 Barnard RPI
% Men 3% 69%
% Women 97% 31%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 53% 59%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 12% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 7%
% International 8% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 Barnard RPI
% In-State 28% 36%
% Out-of-State 60% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than than Barnard based on total student enrollment (6,968 students vs. 3,442 students)

Barnard vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Barnard or RPI?

  • Barnard College is 3.2% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($60,478.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.2% higher at Barnard than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($60,478.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Barnard College than RPI ($26,009 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 14% lower than costs at Barnard College ($16,980 vs. $19,364)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Barnard College (90% vs. 45%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Barnard College students is 39.3% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($53,817 vs. $38,636)

Barnard vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 11 points higher than at Barnard (1357)
  • Incoming Barnard students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at RPI (30)
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Barnard (3.85)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (64.5%) than Barnard (8.8%)

Barnard vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Barnard or RPI? 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 RPI and Barnard.

  • The graduation rate at Barnard is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (92% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $15,600 more per year than Barnard graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $66,900)
  • Barnard College students graduate with a $9,653 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($17,847 vs. $27,500)
  • Barnard graduates are paying $100 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($184 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Barnard students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 89%)

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