RPI vs. Brown

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

 RPI Brown
Location Troy, NY Providence, RI
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 6,968 11,189
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #110 #11
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rpi.edu brown.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RPI Brown
Tuition (In State) $58,600 $62,680
Tuition (Out of State) $58,600 $62,680
Room & Board $16,980 $15,840
Avg Net Price $39,127 $26,723
Avg Grant Aid $38,636 $55,847
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 46%

Admission

 RPI Brown
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,863 50,649
Admitted 10,878 2,562
Acceptance Rate 64.5% 5.1%
Enrolled % 18.4% 67%
Avg High School GPA 3.88 3.94
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 30/34 34/36
SAT Range 1360/1520 1490/1580
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, 2025 Jan 5, 2025

Academics

 RPI Brown
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 RPI Brown
Graduation Rate 84% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,500 $87,600
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $284 $155

Diversity

 RPI Brown
% Men 69% 48%
% Women 31% 52%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 43%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 8% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 6%
% International 11% 12%
% Unknown Race 2% 7%

Students

 RPI Brown
% In-State 36% 3%
% Out-of-State 58% 79%

Campus

 RPI Brown
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

  • Brown University is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (11,189 students vs. 6,968 students)

RPI vs. Brown Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RPI or Brown?

  • Brown University is 7% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($62,680.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7% higher at Brown than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($62,680.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Brown University than RPI ($26,723 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Brown University are 7.2% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($15,840 vs. $16,980)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Brown University (90% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Brown University students is 44.5% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($55,847 vs. $38,636)

RPI vs. Brown Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Brown University (1457) is 89 points higher than at RPI (1368)
  • Incoming Brown students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at RPI (30)
  • Accepted freshman Brown students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at RPI (3.88)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (64.5%) than Brown (5.1%)

RPI vs. Brown Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RPI or Brown? 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 Brown and RPI.

  • The graduation rate at Brown is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (95% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Brown University earn on average $5,100 more per year than RPI graduates after ten years. ($87,600 vs. $82,500)
  • Brown University students graduate with a $12,500 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($15,000 vs. $27,500)
  • Brown graduates are paying $129 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($155 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Brown students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 89%)

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