RPI vs. UB

Should I go to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or University at Buffalo? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if RPI or UB 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

University at Albany- SUNY SUNY Stony Brook RIT Binghamton University Stevens Penn State State University of New York at New Paltz SUNY at Geneseo Syracuse ASU Northeastern UIC
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute vs. University at Buffalo comparison
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute University at Buffalo College 3 College 4
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute University at Buffalo
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 RPI UB
Location Troy, NY Buffalo, NY
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,968 32,099
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #110 #103
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rpi.edu buffalo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RPI UB
Tuition (In State) $58,600 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $58,600 $24,990
Room & Board $16,980 $16,212
Avg Net Price $39,127 $18,524
Avg Grant Aid $38,636 $8,521
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 74%

Admission

 RPI UB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,863 30,939
Admitted 10,878 20,948
Acceptance Rate 64.5% 67.7%
Enrolled % 18.4% 20.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.88 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/34 25/32
SAT Range 1360/1520 1190/1380
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 UB
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

 RPI UB
Graduation Rate 84% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,500 $58,400
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $284 $201

Diversity

 RPI UB
% Men 69% 52%
% Women 31% 48%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 48%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 2%
% International 11% 16%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

 RPI UB
% In-State 36% 88%
% Out-of-State 58% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University at Buffalo is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (32,099 students vs. 6,968 students)

RPI vs. UB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RPI or UB?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 728.9% more expensive to attend than UB for in-state tuition ($58,600.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 134.5% higher at RPI than University at Buffalo ($58,600.00 vs. $24,990.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University at Buffalo than RPI ($18,524 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University at Buffalo are 4.7% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($16,212 vs. $16,980)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than University at Buffalo (90% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 353.4% larger than aid received University at Buffalo ($38,636 vs. $8,521)

RPI vs. UB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 195 points higher than at UB (1173)
  • Incoming RPI students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at UB (27)
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at UB (3.75)
  • UB has a higher acceptance rate (67.7%) than RPI (64.5%)

RPI vs. UB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than University at Buffalo (84% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $24,100 more per year than UB graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $58,400)
  • University at Buffalo students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($19,500 vs. $27,500)
  • UB graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($201 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UB students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 70%)

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