Manhattan College vs. RPI

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

 Manhattan College RPI
Location Riverdale, NY Troy, NY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 3,495 7,024
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #152 #124
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website manhattan.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Manhattan College RPI
Tuition (In State) $46,100 $60,360
Tuition (Out of State) $46,100 $60,360
Room & Board $18,440 $17,530
Avg Net Price $28,349 $35,940
Avg Grant Aid $34,438 $43,994
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

 Manhattan College RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,432 16,283
Admitted 8,188 9,517
Acceptance Rate 78.5%Open 58.4%
Enrolled % 8.4%Open 16.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.88
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/31 30/34
SAT Range 1150/1340 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 Aug 31, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Manhattan College RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (25%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

 Manhattan College RPI
Graduation Rate 72% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,700 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $284

Diversity

 Manhattan College RPI
% Men 7% 10%
% Women 9% 5%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 59%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 21% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 7%
% International 3% 11%
% Unknown Race 8% 2%

Students

 Manhattan College RPI
% In-State 74% 36%
% Out-of-State 24% 58%

Campus

 Manhattan College 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

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than than Manhattan College based on total student enrollment (7,024 students vs. 3,495 students)

Manhattan College vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Manhattan College or RPI?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 30.9% more expensive to attend than Manhattan College for in-state tuition ($60,360.00 vs. $46,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.9% higher at RPI than Manhattan College ($60,360.00 vs. $46,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Manhattan College than RPI ($28,349 vs. $35,940)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 5.2% lower than costs at Manhattan College ($17,530 vs. $18,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Manhattan College than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 27.7% larger than aid received Manhattan College ($43,994 vs. $34,438)

Manhattan College vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 271 points higher than at Manhattan College (1097)
  • Incoming RPI students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Manhattan College (25)
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Manhattan College (3.63)
  • Manhattan College has a higher acceptance rate (78.5%) than RPI (58.4%)

Manhattan College vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Manhattan 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 Manhattan College.

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than Manhattan College (84% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $15,800 more per year than Manhattan College graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $66,700)
  • Manhattan College students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,500)
  • Manhattan College 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 Manhattan College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 82%)

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