RPI vs. Purchase College

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

 RPI Purchase College
Location Troy, NY Purchase, NY
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,968 3,182
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #110 #319
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rpi.edu purchase.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RPI Purchase College
Tuition (In State) $58,600 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $58,600 $16,980
Room & Board $16,980 $14,948
Avg Net Price $39,127 $19,434
Avg Grant Aid $38,636 $10,312
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 73%

Admission

 RPI Purchase College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,863 5,747
Admitted 10,878 4,292
Acceptance Rate 64.5% 74.7%
Enrolled % 18.4% 16%
Avg High School GPA 3.88 3.37
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 30/34 29/31
SAT Range 1360/1520 1190/1350
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 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

 RPI Purchase College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

 RPI Purchase College
Graduation Rate 84% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,500 $40,200
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $284 $232

Diversity

 RPI Purchase College
% Men 69% 42%
% Women 31% 58%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 55%
% Black 3% 10%
% Hispanic 8% 18%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 11% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 7%

Students

 RPI Purchase College
% In-State 36% 85%
% Out-of-State 58% 14%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (6,968 students vs. 3,182 students)

RPI vs. Purchase College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RPI or Purchase College?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 728.9% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($58,600.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 245.1% higher at RPI than SUNY at Purchase College ($58,600.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than RPI ($19,434 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 13.6% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($14,948 vs. $16,980)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than SUNY at Purchase College (90% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 274.7% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($38,636 vs. $10,312)

RPI vs. Purchase College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 286 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
  • Incoming RPI students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Purchase College (25)
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than RPI (64.5%)

RPI vs. Purchase College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (84% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $42,300 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($22,500 vs. $27,500)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($232 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 65%)

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