Bates vs. RPI

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

 Bates RPI
Location Lewiston, ME Troy, NY
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 1,790 6,968
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #43 #110
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bates.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bates RPI
Tuition (In State) $61,066 $58,600
Tuition (Out of State) $61,066 $58,600
Room & Board $17,224 $16,980
Avg Net Price $27,491 $39,127
Avg Grant Aid $51,414 $38,636
% Receiving Grant Aid 36% 90%

Admission

 Bates RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,273 16,863
Admitted 1,137 10,878
Acceptance Rate 13.7% 64.5%
Enrolled % 45.6% 18.4%
Avg High School GPA - 3.88
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 32/33 30/34
SAT Range 1420/1520 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 1, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Bates RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

 Bates RPI
Graduation Rate 92% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $75,700 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,450 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $149 $284

Diversity

 Bates RPI
% Men 47% 69%
% Women 53% 31%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 59%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 8% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 7% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 Bates RPI
% In-State 9% 36%
% Out-of-State 81% 58%

Campus

 Bates RPI
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes 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 Bates based on total student enrollment (6,968 students vs. 1,790 students)

Bates vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bates or RPI?

  • Bates College is 4.2% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($61,066.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.2% higher at Bates than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($61,066.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bates College than RPI ($27,491 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 1.4% lower than costs at Bates College ($16,980 vs. $17,224)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Bates College (90% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bates College students is 33.1% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($51,414 vs. $38,636)

Bates vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (64.5%) than Bates (13.7%)

Bates vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bates 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 Bates.

  • The graduation rate at Bates is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (92% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $6,800 more per year than Bates graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $75,700)
  • Bates College students graduate with a $13,050 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($14,450 vs. $27,500)
  • Bates graduates are paying $135 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($149 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bates students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 90%)

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