RPI vs. Syracuse

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

 RPI Syracuse
Location Troy, NY Syracuse, NY
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 7,024 22,948
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #124 #160
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rpi.edu syr.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RPI Syracuse
Tuition (In State) $60,360 $61,310
Tuition (Out of State) $60,360 $61,310
Room & Board $17,530 $18,444
Avg Net Price $35,940 $51,520
Avg Grant Aid $43,994 $29,110
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 82%

Admission

 RPI Syracuse
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,283 42,089
Admitted 9,517 17,545
Acceptance Rate 58.4% 41.7%
Enrolled % 16.3% 20.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.88 3.69
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/34 28/32
SAT Range 1330/1500 1260/1430
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 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

 RPI Syracuse
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

 RPI Syracuse
Graduation Rate 84% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,500 $65,900
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $284 $279

Diversity

 RPI Syracuse
% Men 10% 14%
% Women 5% 17%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 55%
% Black 3% 8%
% Hispanic 8% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 11% 12%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 RPI Syracuse
% In-State 36% 32%
% Out-of-State 58% 57%

Campus

 RPI Syracuse
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

  • Syracuse University is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (22,948 students vs. 7,024 students)

RPI vs. Syracuse Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RPI or Syracuse?

  • Syracuse University is 1.6% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($61,310.00 vs. $60,360.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.6% higher at Syracuse than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($61,310.00 vs. $60,360.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Syracuse ($35,940 vs. $51,520)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 5.2% lower than costs at Syracuse University ($17,530 vs. $18,444)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Syracuse University (96% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 51.1% larger than aid received Syracuse University ($43,994 vs. $29,110)

RPI vs. Syracuse Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 173 points higher than at Syracuse (1195)
  • Incoming RPI students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Syracuse (27)
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Syracuse (3.69)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (58.4%) than Syracuse (41.7%)

RPI vs. Syracuse Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RPI or Syracuse? 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 Syracuse and RPI.

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than Syracuse University (84% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $16,600 more per year than Syracuse graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $65,900)
  • Syracuse University students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($27,000 vs. $27,500)
  • Syracuse graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($279 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Syracuse students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 80%)

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