RPI vs. Penn

Should I go to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if RPI or Penn 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. 

RIT Princeton Duke Stevens Cornell Harvard Johns Hopkins Georgetown Stanford Binghamton University Brown Northwestern
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute vs. University of Pennsylvania comparison
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute University of Pennsylvania
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 RPI Penn
Location Troy, NY Philadelphia, PA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 6,968 28,201
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #110 #23
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rpi.edu upenn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RPI Penn
Tuition (In State) $58,600 $56,212
Tuition (Out of State) $58,600 $56,212
Room & Board $16,980 $17,888
Avg Net Price $39,127 $26,123
Avg Grant Aid $38,636 $57,175
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 46%

Admission

 RPI Penn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,863 54,588
Admitted 10,878 3,549
Acceptance Rate 64.5% 6.5%
Enrolled % 18.4% 67.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.88 3.95
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 30/34 34/35
SAT Range 1360/1520 1500/1570
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 Jan 5, 2025

Academics

 RPI Penn
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

 RPI Penn
Graduation Rate 84% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,500 $123,600
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $20,633
Median Loan Payment $284 $213

Diversity

 RPI Penn
% Men 69% 44%
% Women 31% 56%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 45%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 8% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 11% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 RPI Penn
% In-State 36% 16%
% Out-of-State 58% 67%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Pennsylvania is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (28,201 students vs. 6,968 students)

RPI vs. Penn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RPI or Penn?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 4.2% more expensive to attend than Penn for in-state tuition ($58,600.00 vs. $56,212.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.2% higher at RPI than University of Pennsylvania ($58,600.00 vs. $56,212.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pennsylvania than RPI ($26,123 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 5.3% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($16,980 vs. $17,888)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than University of Pennsylvania (90% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 48% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($57,175 vs. $38,636)

RPI vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 89 points higher than at RPI (1368)
  • Incoming Penn students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at RPI (30)
  • Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at RPI (3.88)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (64.5%) than Penn (6.5%)

RPI vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Penn is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (96% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $41,100 more per year than RPI graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $82,500)
  • University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $6,867 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($20,633 vs. $27,500)
  • Penn graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($213 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 84%)

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