Dartmouth vs. RPI

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

 Dartmouth RPI
Location Hanover, NH Troy, NY
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 6,744 6,968
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #12 #110
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website dartmouth.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Dartmouth RPI
Tuition (In State) $60,687 $58,600
Tuition (Out of State) $60,687 $58,600
Room & Board $18,099 $16,980
Avg Net Price $19,208 $39,127
Avg Grant Aid $62,293 $38,636
% Receiving Grant Aid 45% 90%

Admission

 Dartmouth RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,336 16,863
Admitted 1,808 10,878
Acceptance Rate 6.4% 64.5%
Enrolled % 62.2% 18.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35 30/34
SAT Range 1500/1580 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 3, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Dartmouth RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • History (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Ethnic Studies (7%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

 Dartmouth RPI
Graduation Rate 95% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $104,000 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,461 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $139 $284

Diversity

 Dartmouth RPI
% Men 50% 69%
% Women 50% 31%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 59%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 8% 8%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 8% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

 Dartmouth RPI
% In-State 2% 36%
% Out-of-State 79% 58%

Campus

 Dartmouth 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 Dartmouth based on total student enrollment (6,968 students vs. 6,744 students)

Dartmouth vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Dartmouth or RPI?

  • Dartmouth College is 3.6% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($60,687.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.6% higher at Dartmouth than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($60,687.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dartmouth College than RPI ($19,208 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 6.6% lower than costs at Dartmouth College ($16,980 vs. $18,099)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Dartmouth College (90% vs. 45%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Dartmouth College students is 61.2% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($62,293 vs. $38,636)

Dartmouth vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Dartmouth College (1437) is 69 points higher than at RPI (1368)
  • Incoming Dartmouth students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at RPI (30)
  • Accepted freshman Dartmouth students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at RPI (3.88)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (64.5%) than Dartmouth (6.4%)

Dartmouth vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Dartmouth 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 Dartmouth.

  • The graduation rate at Dartmouth is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (95% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Dartmouth College earn on average $21,500 more per year than RPI graduates after ten years. ($104,000 vs. $82,500)
  • Dartmouth College students graduate with a $14,039 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($13,461 vs. $27,500)
  • Dartmouth graduates are paying $145 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($139 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dartmouth students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 87%)

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