Hunter vs. RPI

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

 Hunter RPI
Location New York, NY Troy, NY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 22,879 7,024
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #283 #124
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cuny.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Hunter RPI
Tuition (In State) $6,930 $60,360
Tuition (Out of State) $14,880 $60,360
Room & Board $11,324 $17,530
Avg Net Price $4,127 $35,940
Avg Grant Aid $9,624 $43,994
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 96%

Admission

 Hunter RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 31,614 16,283
Admitted 17,087 9,517
Acceptance Rate 54% 58.4%
Enrolled % 18.6% 16.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/34
SAT Range 1210/1470 1330/1500
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 15, 2026

Academics

 Hunter RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

 Hunter RPI
Graduation Rate 46% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,800 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,548 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $119 $284

Diversity

 Hunter RPI
% Men 6% 10%
% Women 18% 5%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 59%
% Black 10% 3%
% Hispanic 29% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 7%
% International 6% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 Hunter RPI
% In-State 85% 36%
% Out-of-State 0% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • CUNY Hunter College is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (22,879 students vs. 7,024 students)

Hunter vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Hunter or RPI?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 771% more expensive to attend than Hunter for in-state tuition ($60,360.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 305.6% higher at RPI than CUNY Hunter College ($60,360.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY Hunter College than RPI ($4,127 vs. $35,940)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY Hunter College are 54.8% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($11,324 vs. $17,530)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than CUNY Hunter College (96% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 357.1% larger than aid received CUNY Hunter College ($43,994 vs. $9,624)

Hunter vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 203 points higher than at Hunter (1165)
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Hunter (3.7)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (58.4%) than Hunter (54%)

Hunter vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Hunter 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 Hunter.

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than CUNY Hunter College (84% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $33,700 more per year than Hunter graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $48,800)
  • CUNY Hunter College students graduate with a $15,952 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($11,548 vs. $27,500)
  • Hunter graduates are paying $165 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($119 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Hunter students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 56%)

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