Fordham vs. RPI

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

 Fordham RPI
Location Bronx, NY Troy, NY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 16,153 7,024
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #126 #124
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fordham.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Fordham RPI
Tuition (In State) $60,335 $60,360
Tuition (Out of State) $60,335 $60,360
Room & Board $23,075 $17,530
Avg Net Price $45,368 $35,940
Avg Grant Aid $33,278 $43,994
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 96%

Admission

 Fordham RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 43,663 16,283
Admitted 24,573 9,517
Acceptance Rate 56.3% 58.4%
Enrolled % 9.9% 16.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.88
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/33 30/34
SAT Range 1330/1490 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 1, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Fordham RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

 Fordham RPI
Graduation Rate 78% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,200 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $284

Diversity

 Fordham RPI
% Men 13% 10%
% Women 23% 5%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 59%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 14% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 7% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 Fordham RPI
% In-State 37% 36%
% Out-of-State 55% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Fordham University is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (16,153 students vs. 7,024 students)

Fordham vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Fordham or RPI?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 0% more expensive to attend than Fordham for in-state tuition ($60,360.00 vs. $60,335.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0% higher at RPI than Fordham University ($60,360.00 vs. $60,335.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Fordham ($35,940 vs. $45,368)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 31.6% lower than costs at Fordham University ($17,530 vs. $23,075)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Fordham University (96% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 32.2% larger than aid received Fordham University ($43,994 vs. $33,278)

Fordham vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 95 points higher than at Fordham (1273)
  • Incoming RPI students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Fordham (29)
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Fordham (3.67)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (58.4%) than Fordham (56.3%)

Fordham vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Fordham 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 Fordham.

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than Fordham University (84% vs. 78%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $18,300 more per year than Fordham graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $64,200)
  • Fordham University students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,500)
  • Fordham graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($268 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fordham students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 77%)

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