RPI vs. West Point

Deciding between Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and United States Military Academy? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
United States Military Academy

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • RPI Troy, NY
  • West Point West Point, New York
  • Setting
  • RPI Small City
  • West Point Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • RPI 7,040
  • West Point 4,473
  • Type
  • RPI Private 4 Year
  • West Point Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • RPI #130
  • West Point
  • Religious Affiliation
  • RPI -
  • West Point -
  • Status
  • RPI Non-profit
  • West Point Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • RPI
  • West Point

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • RPI $64,081
  • West Point $0
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • RPI $64,081
  • West Point $0
  • Room & Board
  • RPI $18,120
  • West Point $0
  • Average Net Price
  • RPI $38,887
  • West Point -
  • Average Grant Aid
  • RPI $43,517
  • West Point $0
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • RPI 95%
  • West Point 0%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • RPI 17,175
  • West Point 12,320
  • Admitted
  • RPI 10,901
  • West Point 1,534
  • Acceptance Rate
  • RPI 63.5%
  • West Point 12.5%
  • Enrolled
  • RPI 12.1%
  • West Point 77.9%
  • Typical SAT score
  • RPI 1440
  • West Point 1320
  • Typical ACT score
  • RPI 32
  • West Point 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • RPI 3.88
  • West Point 4.0
  • Typical High School Grades
  • RPI A
  • West Point A/A+
  • Admissions Standards
  • RPI Exceptional
  • West Point Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • RPI Low
  • West Point Very High
  • ACT Range
  • RPI 30/34
  • West Point 27/33
  • SAT Range
  • RPI 1375/1510
  • West Point 1200/1430
  • Submit Test Scores
  • RPI Test optional
  • West Point Required
  • Application Deadline
  • RPI Jan 15, 2027
  • West Point Jan 31, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • RPI 14:1
  • West Point 6:1
  • Popular Majors
  • RPI
    • Engineering (53%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Engineering Technology (5%)
    • Architecture (5%)
  • West Point
    • Engineering (21%)
    • Social Sciences (18%)
    • Foreign Languages (9%)
    • Engineering Technology (6%)
    • Business (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • RPI 84%
  • West Point 80%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • RPI $82,500
  • West Point N/A
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • RPI 92%
  • West Point -
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • RPI $27,500
  • West Point N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • RPI $284
  • West Point N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • RPI 69%
  • West Point 78%
  • % Women
  • RPI 31%
  • West Point 22%
  • Racial Diversity
  • RPI High
  • West Point -
  • HBCU
  • RPI No
  • West Point No
  • % White
  • RPI 59%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Asian
  • RPI 10%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Black
  • RPI 3%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Hispanic
  • RPI 8%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Native American
  • RPI 0%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • RPI 0%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • RPI 7%
  • West Point 0%
  • % International
  • RPI 11%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • RPI 2%
  • West Point 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • RPI 37%
  • West Point 7%
  • % Out-of-State
  • RPI 58%
  • West Point 92%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • RPI Yes
  • West Point Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • RPI Yes
  • West Point Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • RPI Yes
  • West Point Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • RPI No
  • West Point No
  • Daycare Facility
  • RPI No
  • West Point No

Comparable Facts

Compare Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY with United States Military Academy in West Point, New York on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than West Point based on total student enrollment (7,040 students vs. 4,473 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is located in Troy, NY (Small City setting); United States Military Academy is in West Point, New York (Large Suburban setting).
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. United States Military Academy is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 14:1; United States Military Academy 6:1.

RPI vs. West Point Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RPI or West Point? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • In-state tuition differs between Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and West Point ($64,081.00 vs. $0.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition differs between RPI and United States Military Academy ($64,081.00 vs. $0.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than at United States Military Academy (95% vs. 0%).

RPI vs. West Point Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, RPI or West Point? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between West Point and RPI.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1440) is 120 points higher than at West Point (1320).
  • Incoming RPI students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 vs. 30 at West Point).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 1375/1510; United States Military Academy 1200/1430.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 30/34; United States Military Academy 27/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: RPI - Test optional; West Point - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: RPI Jan 15, 2027; West Point Jan 31, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman West Point students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at RPI (3.88).
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (63.5%) than West Point (12.5%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.1% at RPI vs. 77.9% at West Point.

RPI vs. West Point Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for RPI and West Point? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's six-year graduation rate (84%) is higher than United States Military Academy's (80%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.