RPI vs. Muhlenberg College

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

 RPI Muhlenberg College
Location Troy, NY Allentown, PA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 6,968 1,959
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #110 #88
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rpi.edu muhlenberg.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RPI Muhlenberg College
Tuition (In State) $58,600 $57,270
Tuition (Out of State) $58,600 $57,270
Room & Board $16,980 $13,440
Avg Net Price $39,127 $32,926
Avg Grant Aid $38,636 $38,412
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 98%

Admission

 RPI Muhlenberg College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,863 4,329
Admitted 10,878 2,836
Acceptance Rate 64.5% 65.5%
Enrolled % 18.4% 14.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.88 3.44
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/34 29/33
SAT Range 1360/1520 1200/1400
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 RPI Muhlenberg College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

 RPI Muhlenberg College
Graduation Rate 84% 86%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,500 $63,700
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $26,490
Median Loan Payment $284 $273

Diversity

 RPI Muhlenberg College
% Men 69% 39%
% Women 31% 61%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 75%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 8% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 2%
% International 11% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 8%

Students

 RPI Muhlenberg College
% In-State 36% 31%
% Out-of-State 58% 68%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than than Muhlenberg College based on total student enrollment (6,968 students vs. 1,959 students)

RPI vs. Muhlenberg College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RPI or Muhlenberg College?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 2.3% more expensive to attend than Muhlenberg College for in-state tuition ($58,600.00 vs. $57,270.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.3% higher at RPI than Muhlenberg College ($58,600.00 vs. $57,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Muhlenberg College than RPI ($32,926 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Muhlenberg College are 26.3% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($13,440 vs. $16,980)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Muhlenberg College than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (98% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 0.6% larger than aid received Muhlenberg College ($38,636 vs. $38,412)

RPI vs. Muhlenberg College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Muhlenberg College (3.44)
  • Muhlenberg College has a higher acceptance rate (65.5%) than RPI (64.5%)

RPI vs. Muhlenberg College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RPI or Muhlenberg 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 Muhlenberg College and RPI.

  • The graduation rate at Muhlenberg College is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (86% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $18,800 more per year than Muhlenberg College graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $63,700)
  • Muhlenberg College students graduate with a $1,010 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($26,490 vs. $27,500)
  • Muhlenberg College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($273 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Muhlenberg College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 84%)

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