RPI vs. Penn State

Deciding between Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Penn State Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • RPI Troy, NY
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • RPI Small City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • RPI 7,040
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • RPI Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • RPI #130
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • RPI -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • RPI Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • RPI
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • RPI $64,081
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • RPI $64,081
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • RPI $18,120
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • RPI $38,887
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • RPI $43,517
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • RPI 95%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • RPI 17,175
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • RPI 10,901
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • RPI 63.5%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • RPI 12.1%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • RPI 1440
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • RPI 32
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • RPI 3.88
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • RPI A
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • RPI Exceptional
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • RPI Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • RPI 30/34
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • RPI 1375/1510
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • RPI Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • RPI Jan 15, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • RPI 14:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • RPI
    • Engineering (53%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Engineering Technology (5%)
    • Architecture (5%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • RPI 84%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • RPI $82,500
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • RPI 92%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • RPI $27,500
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • RPI $284
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • RPI 69%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • RPI 31%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • RPI High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • RPI No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • RPI 59%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • RPI 10%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • RPI 3%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • RPI 8%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • RPI 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • RPI 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • RPI 7%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • RPI 11%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • RPI 2%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • RPI 37%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • RPI 58%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • RPI Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • RPI Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • RPI Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • RPI No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • RPI No
  • Penn State Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY with Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than RPI based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 7,040 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is located in Troy, NY (Small City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 14:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

RPI vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RPI or Penn State? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than RPI ($27,889 vs. $38,887).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 20.1% lower than at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($14,474 vs. $18,120).
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 210.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $43,437 more per year; $64,081.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 53.3% higher at RPI than at Penn State Main Campus (about $22,291 more per year; $64,081.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than at Penn State Main Campus (95% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 283.9% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($43,517 vs. $11,336).

RPI vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, RPI or Penn State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State and RPI.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1440) is 110 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming RPI students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 1375/1510; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 30/34; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: RPI - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: RPI Jan 15, 2027.
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (63.5%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.1% at RPI vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

RPI vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for RPI and Penn State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Penn State Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's (84%).
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn a median of about $27,200 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($82,500 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $682 lower median loan debt than RPI graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,500).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $7 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than RPI graduates ($277 vs. $284).
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.