RPI vs. Lafayette College

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

 RPI Lafayette College
Location Troy, NY Easton, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 7,024 2,764
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #124 #66
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rpi.edu lafayette.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RPI Lafayette College
Tuition (In State) $60,360 $61,482
Tuition (Out of State) $60,360 $61,482
Room & Board $17,530 $18,640
Avg Net Price $35,940 $34,728
Avg Grant Aid $43,994 $44,126
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 52%

Admission

 RPI Lafayette College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,283 9,874
Admitted 9,517 3,107
Acceptance Rate 58.4% 31.5%
Enrolled % 16.3% 22.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.88 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 30/34 30/33
SAT Range 1330/1500 1340/1490
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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 RPI Lafayette College
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

 RPI Lafayette College
Graduation Rate 84% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,500 $81,000
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $284 $268

Diversity

 RPI Lafayette College
% Men 10% 0%
% Women 5% 0%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 59% 67%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 2%
% International 11% 9%
% Unknown Race 2% 7%

Students

 RPI Lafayette College
% In-State 36% 13%
% Out-of-State 58% 79%

Campus

 RPI Lafayette College
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

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than than Lafayette College based on total student enrollment (7,024 students vs. 2,764 students)

RPI vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RPI or Lafayette College?

  • Lafayette College is 1.9% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($61,482.00 vs. $60,360.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.9% higher at Lafayette College than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($61,482.00 vs. $60,360.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lafayette College than RPI ($34,728 vs. $35,940)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 6.3% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($17,530 vs. $18,640)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Lafayette College (96% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lafayette College students is 0.3% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($44,126 vs. $43,994)

RPI vs. Lafayette College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 74 points higher than at Lafayette College (1294)
  • Incoming RPI students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Lafayette College (29)
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.35 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Lafayette College (3.53)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (58.4%) than Lafayette College (31.5%)

RPI vs. Lafayette College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RPI or Lafayette College? 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 Lafayette College and RPI.

  • The graduation rate at Lafayette College is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (88% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $1,500 more per year than Lafayette College graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $81,000)
  • Lafayette College students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,500)
  • Lafayette 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 Lafayette College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 91%)

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