City College of New York vs. RPI

Deciding between CUNY City 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.

CUNY City College
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • City College of New York New York, NY
  • RPI Troy, NY
  • Setting
  • City College of New York Large City
  • RPI Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • City College of New York 15,544
  • RPI 7,040
  • Type
  • City College of New York Public 4 Year
  • RPI Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • City College of New York #313
  • RPI #130
  • Religious Affiliation
  • City College of New York -
  • RPI -
  • Status
  • City College of New York Non-profit
  • RPI Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • City College of New York
  • RPI

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • City College of New York $7,340
  • RPI $64,081
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • City College of New York $15,290
  • RPI $64,081
  • Room & Board
  • City College of New York $18,840
  • RPI $18,120
  • Average Net Price
  • City College of New York $4,664
  • RPI $38,887
  • Average Grant Aid
  • City College of New York $9,763
  • RPI $43,517
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • City College of New York 88%
  • RPI 95%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • City College of New York 34,322
  • RPI 17,175
  • Admitted
  • City College of New York 20,600
  • RPI 10,901
  • Acceptance Rate
  • City College of New York 60%
  • RPI 63.5%
  • Enrolled
  • City College of New York 12.3%
  • RPI 12.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • City College of New York 1250
  • RPI 1440
  • Typical ACT score
  • City College of New York
  • RPI 32
  • Average High School GPA
  • City College of New York 3.2
  • RPI 3.88
  • Typical High School Grades
  • City College of New York B+
  • RPI A
  • Admissions Standards
  • City College of New York Very High
  • RPI Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • City College of New York Low
  • RPI Low
  • ACT Range
  • City College of New York
  • RPI 30/34
  • SAT Range
  • City College of New York 1070/1430
  • RPI 1375/1510
  • Submit Test Scores
  • City College of New York Test optional
  • RPI Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • City College of New York Feb 1, 2027
  • RPI Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • City College of New York 15:1
  • RPI 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • City College of New York
    • Psychology (15%)
    • Engineering (13%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • RPI
    • Engineering (53%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Engineering Technology (5%)
    • Architecture (5%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • City College of New York 40%
  • RPI 84%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • City College of New York $49,800
  • RPI $82,500
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • City College of New York 52%
  • RPI 92%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • City College of New York $11,400
  • RPI $27,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • City College of New York $117
  • RPI $284

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • City College of New York 47%
  • RPI 69%
  • % Women
  • City College of New York 53%
  • RPI 31%
  • Racial Diversity
  • City College of New York Very High
  • RPI High
  • HBCU
  • City College of New York No
  • RPI No
  • % White
  • City College of New York 15%
  • RPI 59%
  • % Asian
  • City College of New York 25%
  • RPI 10%
  • % Black
  • City College of New York 16%
  • RPI 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • City College of New York 35%
  • RPI 8%
  • % Native American
  • City College of New York 0%
  • RPI 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • City College of New York 0%
  • RPI 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • City College of New York 2%
  • RPI 7%
  • % International
  • City College of New York 6%
  • RPI 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • City College of New York 0%
  • RPI 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • City College of New York 83%
  • RPI 37%
  • % Out-of-State
  • City College of New York 0%
  • RPI 58%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • City College of New York Yes
  • RPI Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • City College of New York No
  • RPI Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • City College of New York No
  • RPI Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • City College of New York No
  • RPI No
  • Daycare Facility
  • City College of New York Yes
  • RPI No

Comparable Facts

Compare CUNY City College in New York, NY with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

CUNY City College is larger than RPI based on total student enrollment (15,544 students vs. 7,040 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

City College of New York vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, City College of New York 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 CUNY City College than RPI ($4,664 vs. $38,887).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 3.8% lower than at CUNY City College ($18,120 vs. $18,840).
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 773% more expensive for in-state tuition than City College of New York (about $56,741 more per year; $64,081.00 vs. $7,340.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 319.1% higher at RPI than at CUNY City College (about $48,791 more per year; $64,081.00 vs. $15,290.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than at CUNY City College (95% vs. 88%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 345.7% larger than aid received by CUNY City College students ($43,517 vs. $9,763).

City College of New York vs. RPI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, City College of New York 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 City College of New York.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1440) is 190 points higher than at City College of New York (1250).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: CUNY City College 1070/1430; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 1375/1510.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsRensselaer Polytechnic Institute 30/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: City College of New York - Test optional; RPI - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: City College of New York Feb 1, 2027; RPI Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.68 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at City College of New York (3.2).
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (63.5%) than City College of New York (60%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.3% at City College of New York vs. 12.1% at RPI.

City College of New York vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for City College of New York 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).

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's six-year graduation rate (84%) is higher than CUNY City College's (40%).
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn a median of about $32,700 more per year than City College of New York graduates about ten years after starting college ($82,500 vs. $49,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, CUNY City College graduates have a $16,100 lower median loan debt than RPI graduates ($11,400 vs. $27,500).
  • Among borrowers, City College of New York graduates have an estimated $167 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than RPI graduates ($117 vs. $284).
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 52%)

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.