RPI vs. University at Albany- SUNY

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

 RPI University at Albany- SUNY
Location Troy, NY Albany, NY
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 7,024 16,880
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #124 #242
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rpi.edu albany.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RPI University at Albany- SUNY
Tuition (In State) $60,360 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $60,360 $25,660
Room & Board $17,530 $16,182
Avg Net Price $35,940 $19,165
Avg Grant Aid $43,994 $9,747
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 93%

Admission

 RPI University at Albany- SUNY
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,283 30,740
Admitted 9,517 21,477
Acceptance Rate 58.4% 69.9%
Enrolled % 16.3% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.88 3.3
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/34 22/31
SAT Range 1330/1500 1120/1320
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 RPI University at Albany- SUNY
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Biology (9%)

Outcomes

 RPI University at Albany- SUNY
Graduation Rate 84% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,500 $55,800
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $21,065
Median Loan Payment $284 $217

Diversity

 RPI University at Albany- SUNY
% Men 10% 11%
% Women 5% 17%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 49%
% Black 3% 16%
% Hispanic 8% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 11% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 RPI University at Albany- SUNY
% In-State 36% 93%
% Out-of-State 58% 4%

Campus

 RPI University at Albany- SUNY
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY at Albany is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (16,880 students vs. 7,024 students)

RPI vs. University at Albany- SUNY Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RPI or University at Albany- SUNY?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 753.7% more expensive to attend than University at Albany- SUNY for in-state tuition ($60,360.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 135.2% higher at RPI than SUNY at Albany ($60,360.00 vs. $25,660.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Albany than RPI ($19,165 vs. $35,940)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Albany are 8.3% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($16,182 vs. $17,530)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than SUNY at Albany (96% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 351.4% larger than aid received SUNY at Albany ($43,994 vs. $9,747)

RPI vs. University at Albany- SUNY Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 277 points higher than at University at Albany- SUNY (1091)
  • Incoming RPI students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at University at Albany- SUNY (24)
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.58 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at University at Albany- SUNY (3.3)
  • University at Albany- SUNY has a higher acceptance rate (69.9%) than RPI (58.4%)

RPI vs. University at Albany- SUNY Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RPI or University at Albany- SUNY? 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 University at Albany- SUNY and RPI.

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than SUNY at Albany (84% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $26,700 more per year than University at Albany- SUNY graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $55,800)
  • SUNY at Albany students graduate with a $6,435 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($21,065 vs. $27,500)
  • University at Albany- SUNY graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($217 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University at Albany- SUNY students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 70%)

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