RPI vs. Vanderbilt

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

 RPI Vanderbilt
Location Troy, NY Nashville, TN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 6,968 13,710
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #110 #14
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rpi.edu vanderbilt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RPI Vanderbilt
Tuition (In State) $58,600 $58,130
Tuition (Out of State) $58,600 $58,130
Room & Board $16,980 $19,862
Avg Net Price $39,127 $25,606
Avg Grant Aid $38,636 $53,932
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 65%

Admission

 RPI Vanderbilt
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,863 46,377
Admitted 10,878 3,093
Acceptance Rate 64.5% 6.7%
Enrolled % 18.4% 52.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.88 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 30/34 34/35
SAT Range 1360/1520 1490/1570
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 1, 2025

Academics

 RPI Vanderbilt
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 RPI Vanderbilt
Graduation Rate 84% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,500 $83,100
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $284 $144

Diversity

 RPI Vanderbilt
% Men 69% 44%
% Women 31% 56%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 55%
% Black 3% 8%
% Hispanic 8% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 11% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

 RPI Vanderbilt
% In-State 36% 9%
% Out-of-State 58% 79%

Campus

 RPI Vanderbilt
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

  • Vanderbilt University is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (13,710 students vs. 6,968 students)

RPI vs. Vanderbilt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RPI or Vanderbilt?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 0.8% more expensive to attend than Vanderbilt for in-state tuition ($58,600.00 vs. $58,130.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.8% higher at RPI than Vanderbilt University ($58,600.00 vs. $58,130.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Vanderbilt University than RPI ($25,606 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 17% lower than costs at Vanderbilt University ($16,980 vs. $19,862)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Vanderbilt University (90% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Vanderbilt University students is 39.6% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($53,932 vs. $38,636)

RPI vs. Vanderbilt Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Vanderbilt University (1498) is 130 points higher than at RPI (1368)
  • Incoming Vanderbilt students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at RPI (30)
  • Accepted freshman Vanderbilt students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at RPI (3.88)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (64.5%) than Vanderbilt (6.7%)

RPI vs. Vanderbilt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Vanderbilt is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (92% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Vanderbilt University earn on average $600 more per year than RPI graduates after ten years. ($83,100 vs. $82,500)
  • Vanderbilt University students graduate with a $13,500 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($14,000 vs. $27,500)
  • Vanderbilt graduates are paying $140 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($144 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Vanderbilt students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 83%)

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