NYU vs. RPI

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

 NYU RPI
Location New York, NY Troy, NY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 57,335 7,024
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #39 #124
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nyu.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 NYU RPI
Tuition (In State) $60,438 $60,360
Tuition (Out of State) $60,438 $60,360
Room & Board $22,786 $17,530
Avg Net Price $30,730 $35,940
Avg Grant Aid $48,269 $43,994
% Receiving Grant Aid 41% 96%

Admission

 NYU RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 113,578 16,283
Admitted 10,693 9,517
Acceptance Rate 9.4% 58.4%
Enrolled % 54.4% 16.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35 30/34
SAT Range 1480/1570 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

 NYU RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

 NYU RPI
Graduation Rate 86% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $76,000 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $240 $284

Diversity

 NYU RPI
% Men 20% 10%
% Women 28% 5%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 34% 59%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 12% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 17% 11%
% Unknown Race 8% 2%

Students

 NYU RPI
% In-State 23% 36%
% Out-of-State 50% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • New York University is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (57,335 students vs. 7,024 students)

NYU vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NYU or RPI?

  • New York University is 0.1% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($60,438.00 vs. $60,360.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.1% higher at NYU than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($60,438.00 vs. $60,360.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at New York University than RPI ($30,730 vs. $35,940)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 30% lower than costs at New York University ($17,530 vs. $22,786)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than New York University (96% vs. 41%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by New York University students is 9.7% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($48,269 vs. $43,994)

NYU vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 8 points higher than at NYU (1360)
  • Incoming NYU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at RPI (30)
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at NYU (3.79)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (58.4%) than NYU (9.4%)

NYU vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NYU 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 NYU.

  • The graduation rate at NYU is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (86% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $6,500 more per year than NYU graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $76,000)
  • New York University students graduate with a $4,250 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($23,250 vs. $27,500)
  • NYU graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($240 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NYU 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/