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RIT Stevens Binghamton University Northeastern U of R Lehigh MIT WPI Case Western Cornell SUNY Stony Brook Rose-Hulman| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Wake Forest University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
RPI | Wake Forest | ||
| Location | Troy, NY | Winston Salem, NC | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 7,024 | 9,121 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #124 | #44 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | rpi.edu | wfu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
RPI | Wake Forest | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $60,360 | $63,608 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $60,360 | $63,608 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,530 | $17,848 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $35,940 | $27,790 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $43,994 | $55,090 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 96% | 34% |
Admission |
RPI | Wake Forest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 16,283 | 17,479 | ||
| Admitted | 9,517 | 3,768 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 58.4% | 21.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.3% | 36.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.88 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 30/34 | 32/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1330/1500 | 1390/1510 | ||
| 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 | Wake Forest | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
RPI | Wake Forest | ||
| Graduation Rate | 84% | 88% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $82,500 | $77,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 92% | 88% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,500 | $23,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $284 | $237 |
Diversity |
RPI | Wake Forest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 16% | ||
| % Women | 5% | 24% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 59% | 72% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 8% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 3% | ||
| % International | 11% | 7% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 0% |
Students |
RPI | Wake Forest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 36% | 15% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 58% | 76% | ||
Campus |
RPI | Wake Forest | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Wake Forest University is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (9,121 students vs. 7,024 students)
RPI vs. Wake Forest Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, RPI or Wake Forest?
- Wake Forest University is 5.4% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($63,608.00 vs. $60,360.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.4% higher at Wake Forest than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($63,608.00 vs. $60,360.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wake Forest University than RPI ($27,790 vs. $35,940)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 1.8% lower than costs at Wake Forest University ($17,530 vs. $17,848)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Wake Forest University (96% vs. 34%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 25.2% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($55,090 vs. $43,994)
RPI vs. Wake Forest Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, RPI or Wake Forest? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Wake Forest or RPI .
- RPI has a higher acceptance rate (58.4%) than Wake Forest (21.6%)
RPI vs. Wake Forest Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, RPI or Wake Forest? 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 Wake Forest and RPI.
- The graduation rate at Wake Forest is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (88% vs. 84%)
- Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $5,300 more per year than Wake Forest graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $77,200)
- Wake Forest University students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($23,000 vs. $27,500)
- Wake Forest graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($237 vs. $284)
- More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wake Forest students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 88%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/