Hamilton College vs. RPI

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

Hamilton College RPI
Location Clinton, NY Troy, NY
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 2,048 7,024
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #25 #124
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hamilton.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Hamilton College RPI
Tuition (In State) $65,090 $60,360
Tuition (Out of State) $65,090 $60,360
Room & Board $16,690 $17,530
Avg Net Price $26,021 $35,940
Avg Grant Aid $54,359 $43,994
% Receiving Grant Aid 51% 96%

Admission

Hamilton College RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,643 16,283
Admitted 1,135 9,517
Acceptance Rate 11.8% 58.4%
Enrolled % 40.7% 16.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 32/35 30/34
SAT Range 1410/1550 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 5, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

Hamilton College RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Foreign Languages (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

Hamilton College RPI
Graduation Rate 89% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $79,000 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,760 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $162 $284

Diversity

Hamilton College RPI
% Men 0% 10%
% Women 0% 5%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 63% 59%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 6% 11%
% Unknown Race 8% 2%

Students

Hamilton College RPI
% In-State 27% 36%
% Out-of-State 63% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than than Hamilton College based on total student enrollment (7,024 students vs. 2,048 students)

Hamilton College vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Hamilton College or RPI?

  • Hamilton College is 7.8% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($65,090.00 vs. $60,360.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.8% higher at Hamilton College than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($65,090.00 vs. $60,360.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Hamilton College than RPI ($26,021 vs. $35,940)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Hamilton College are 5% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($16,690 vs. $17,530)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Hamilton College (96% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Hamilton College students is 23.6% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($54,359 vs. $43,994)

Hamilton College vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Hamilton College (3.87)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (58.4%) than Hamilton College (11.8%)

Hamilton College vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Hamilton College 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 Hamilton College.

  • The graduation rate at Hamilton College is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (89% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $3,500 more per year than Hamilton College graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $79,000)
  • Hamilton College students graduate with a $11,740 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($15,760 vs. $27,500)
  • Hamilton College graduates are paying $122 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($162 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Hamilton College 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/