BC vs. RPI

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

BC RPI
Location Chestnut Hill, MA Troy, NY
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 15,287 6,968
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #45 #110
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bc.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BC RPI
Tuition (In State) $62,950 $58,600
Tuition (Out of State) $62,950 $58,600
Room & Board $16,120 $16,980
Avg Net Price $30,559 $39,127
Avg Grant Aid $49,992 $38,636
% Receiving Grant Aid 40% 90%

Admission

BC RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,494 16,863
Admitted 6,748 10,878
Acceptance Rate 16.7% 64.5%
Enrolled % 34.6% 18.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 33/35 30/34
SAT Range 1435/1540 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

BC RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

BC RPI
Graduation Rate 91% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $90,900 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $196 $284

Diversity

BC RPI
% Men 45% 69%
% Women 55% 31%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 59%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 6% 11%
% Unknown Race 6% 2%

Students

BC RPI
% In-State 21% 36%
% Out-of-State 71% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston College is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (15,287 students vs. 6,968 students)

BC vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or RPI?

  • Boston College is 7.4% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($62,950.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.4% higher at BC than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($62,950.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston College than RPI ($30,559 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston College are 5.3% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($16,120 vs. $16,980)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Boston College (90% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston College students is 29.4% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($49,992 vs. $38,636)

BC vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Boston College (1380) is 12 points higher than at RPI (1368)
  • Incoming BC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at RPI (30)
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at BC (3.86)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (64.5%) than BC (16.7%)

BC vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BC 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 BC.

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (91% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Boston College earn on average $8,400 more per year than RPI graduates after ten years. ($90,900 vs. $82,500)
  • Boston College students graduate with a $8,500 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($19,000 vs. $27,500)
  • BC graduates are paying $88 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($196 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BC 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/