RPI vs. SUNY-ESF

Should I go to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if RPI or SUNY-ESF 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 of Environmental Science and Forestry comparison
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry College 3 College 4
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
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Overview

 RPI SUNY-ESF
Location Troy, NY Syracuse, NY
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 7,024 2,737
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #124 #255
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rpi.edu esf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RPI SUNY-ESF
Tuition (In State) $60,360 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $60,360 $18,900
Room & Board $17,530 $17,780
Avg Net Price $35,940 $19,644
Avg Grant Aid $43,994 $8,675
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 94%

Admission

 RPI SUNY-ESF
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,283 3,541
Admitted 9,517 2,937
Acceptance Rate 58.4% 82.9%
Enrolled % 16.3% 13.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.88 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 30/34 24/30
SAT Range 1330/1500 1130/1300
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 RPI SUNY-ESF
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Biology (38%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (37%)
  • Architecture (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Construction Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 RPI SUNY-ESF
Graduation Rate 84% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,500 $46,200
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $284 $204

Diversity

 RPI SUNY-ESF
% Men 10% 6%
% Women 5% 9%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 82%
% Black 3% 1%
% Hispanic 8% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 2%
% International 11% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

 RPI SUNY-ESF
% In-State 36% 75%
% Out-of-State 58% 25%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than than SUNY-ESF based on total student enrollment (7,024 students vs. 2,737 students)

RPI vs. SUNY-ESF Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RPI or SUNY-ESF?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 753.7% more expensive to attend than SUNY-ESF for in-state tuition ($60,360.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 219.4% higher at RPI than SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry ($60,360.00 vs. $18,900.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry than RPI ($19,644 vs. $35,940)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 1.4% lower than costs at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry ($17,530 vs. $17,780)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (96% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 407.1% larger than aid received SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry ($43,994 vs. $8,675)

RPI vs. SUNY-ESF Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 153 points higher than at SUNY-ESF (1215)
  • Incoming RPI students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at SUNY-ESF (27)
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at SUNY-ESF (3.7)
  • SUNY-ESF has a higher acceptance rate (82.9%) than RPI (58.4%)

RPI vs. SUNY-ESF Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RPI or SUNY-ESF? 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-ESF and RPI.

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (84% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $36,300 more per year than SUNY-ESF graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $46,200)
  • SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry students graduate with a $7,750 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($19,750 vs. $27,500)
  • SUNY-ESF graduates are paying $80 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($204 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY-ESF students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 78%)

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