RPI vs. SUNY Cortland

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

 RPI SUNY Cortland
Location Troy, NY Cortland, NY
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 6,968 6,690
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #110 #399
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rpi.edu cortland.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RPI SUNY Cortland
Tuition (In State) $58,600 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $58,600 $16,980
Room & Board $16,980 $13,620
Avg Net Price $39,127 $18,304
Avg Grant Aid $38,636 $9,369
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 73%

Admission

 RPI SUNY Cortland
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,863 11,711
Admitted 10,878 7,001
Acceptance Rate 64.5% 59.8%
Enrolled % 18.4% 19.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.88 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Average
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/34 22/27
SAT Range 1360/1520 1090/1240
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

Academics

 RPI SUNY Cortland
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Education (41%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (16%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (5%)

Outcomes

 RPI SUNY Cortland
Graduation Rate 84% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,500 $47,300
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $284 $222

Diversity

 RPI SUNY Cortland
% Men 69% 44%
% Women 31% 56%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 74%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 2%
% International 11% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

 RPI SUNY Cortland
% In-State 36% 96%
% Out-of-State 58% 4%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than than SUNY Cortland based on total student enrollment (6,968 students vs. 6,690 students)

RPI vs. SUNY Cortland Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RPI or SUNY Cortland?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 728.9% more expensive to attend than SUNY Cortland for in-state tuition ($58,600.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 245.1% higher at RPI than SUNY College at Cortland ($58,600.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY College at Cortland than RPI ($18,304 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY College at Cortland are 24.7% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($13,620 vs. $16,980)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than SUNY College at Cortland (90% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 312.4% larger than aid received SUNY College at Cortland ($38,636 vs. $9,369)

RPI vs. SUNY Cortland Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at SUNY Cortland (3.7)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (64.5%) than SUNY Cortland (59.8%)

RPI vs. SUNY Cortland Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RPI or SUNY Cortland? 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 SUNY Cortland and RPI.

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than SUNY College at Cortland (84% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $35,200 more per year than SUNY Cortland graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $47,300)
  • SUNY College at Cortland students graduate with a $6,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,500)
  • SUNY Cortland graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($222 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Cortland students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 75%)

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