Princeton vs. RPI

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

 Princeton RPI
Location Princeton, NJ Troy, NY
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 8,842 6,968
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1 #110
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website princeton.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Princeton RPI
Tuition (In State) $57,410 $58,600
Tuition (Out of State) $57,410 $58,600
Room & Board $18,630 $16,980
Avg Net Price $18,698 $39,127
Avg Grant Aid $59,792 $38,636
% Receiving Grant Aid 61% 90%

Admission

 Princeton RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 38,019 16,863
Admitted 2,167 10,878
Acceptance Rate 5.7% 64.5%
Enrolled % 69.2% 18.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.93 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35 30/34
SAT Range 1490/1580 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 1, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Princeton RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

 Princeton RPI
Graduation Rate 96% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $113,900 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $77 $284

Diversity

 Princeton RPI
% Men 53% 69%
% Women 47% 31%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 59%
% Black 8% 3%
% Hispanic 9% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 11% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 Princeton RPI
% In-State 16% 36%
% Out-of-State 69% 58%

Campus

 Princeton 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

  • Princeton University is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (8,842 students vs. 6,968 students)

Princeton vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Princeton or RPI?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 2.1% more expensive to attend than Princeton for in-state tuition ($58,600.00 vs. $57,410.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.1% higher at RPI than Princeton University ($58,600.00 vs. $57,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than RPI ($18,698 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 9.7% lower than costs at Princeton University ($16,980 vs. $18,630)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Princeton University (90% vs. 61%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 54.8% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($59,792 vs. $38,636)

Princeton vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Princeton University (1490) is 122 points higher than at RPI (1368)
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at RPI (30)
  • Accepted freshman Princeton students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at RPI (3.88)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (64.5%) than Princeton (5.7%)

Princeton vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Princeton 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 Princeton.

  • The graduation rate at Princeton is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (96% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $31,400 more per year than RPI graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $82,500)
  • Princeton University students graduate with a $20,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($7,500 vs. $27,500)
  • Princeton graduates are paying $207 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($77 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Princeton students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 83%)

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