RIT vs. BYU

Deciding between Rochester Institute of Technology and Brigham Young University? 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.

Rochester Institute of Technology
Brigham Young University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • RIT Rochester, NY
  • BYU Provo, UT
  • Setting
  • RIT Large Suburban
  • BYU Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • RIT 17,098
  • BYU 35,873
  • Type
  • RIT Private 4 Year
  • BYU Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • RIT #175
  • BYU #131
  • Religious Affiliation
  • RIT -
  • BYU Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church)
  • Status
  • RIT Non-profit
  • BYU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • RIT
  • BYU
  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • RIT $59,274
  • BYU $6,688
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • RIT $59,274
  • BYU $6,688
  • Room & Board
  • RIT $16,142
  • BYU $10,396
  • Average Net Price
  • RIT $39,534
  • BYU $16,694
  • Average Grant Aid
  • RIT $35,077
  • BYU $6,088
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • RIT 98%
  • BYU 51%
  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • RIT 27,911
  • BYU 11,698
  • Admitted
  • RIT 18,682
  • BYU 7,929
  • Acceptance Rate
  • RIT 66.9%
  • BYU 67.8%
  • Enrolled
  • RIT 16.3%
  • BYU 77.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • RIT 1380
  • BYU 1370
  • Typical ACT score
  • RIT 31
  • BYU 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • RIT 3.7
  • BYU 3.89
  • Typical High School Grades
  • RIT A-
  • BYU A
  • Admissions Standards
  • RIT Very High
  • BYU Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • RIT Low
  • BYU Low
  • ACT Range
  • RIT 29/33
  • BYU 28/32
  • SAT Range
  • RIT 1300/1460
  • BYU 1270/1460
  • Submit Test Scores
  • RIT Test optional
  • BYU Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • RIT Jan 15, 2027
  • BYU Dec 16, 2026
  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • RIT 13:1
  • BYU 21:1
  • Popular Majors
  • RIT
    • Visual and Performing Arts (16%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
    • Engineering (13%)
    • Business (13%)
    • Engineering Technology (11%)
  • BYU
    • Business (13%)
    • Biology (11%)
    • Social Sciences (11%)
    • Education (10%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • RIT 64%
  • BYU 78%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • RIT $64,900
  • BYU $69,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • RIT 75%
  • BYU 80%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • RIT $28,000
  • BYU $11,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • RIT $289
  • BYU $113
  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • RIT 64%
  • BYU 49%
  • % Women
  • RIT 36%
  • BYU 51%
  • Racial Diversity
  • RIT Medium
  • BYU Very Low
  • HBCU
  • RIT No
  • BYU No
  • % White
  • RIT 66%
  • BYU 83%
  • % Asian
  • RIT 8%
  • BYU 2%
  • % Black
  • RIT 5%
  • BYU 0%
  • % Hispanic
  • RIT 7%
  • BYU 6%
  • % Native American
  • RIT 0%
  • BYU 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • RIT 0%
  • BYU 1%
  • % Two or More Races
  • RIT 3%
  • BYU 4%
  • % International
  • RIT 6%
  • BYU 3%
  • % Unknown Race
  • RIT 5%
  • BYU 1%
  • Students

  • % In-State
  • RIT 44%
  • BYU 39%
  • % Out-of-State
  • RIT 51%
  • BYU 59%
  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • RIT Yes
  • BYU Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • RIT No
  • BYU No
  • Meal Plan
  • RIT Yes
  • BYU Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • RIT Yes
  • BYU No
  • Daycare Facility
  • RIT Yes
  • BYU No

Comparable Facts

Compare Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY with Brigham Young University in Provo, UT on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Brigham Young University is larger than RIT based on total student enrollment (35,873 students vs. 17,098 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Rochester Institute of Technology is located in Rochester, NY (Large Suburban setting); Brigham Young University is in Provo, UT (Midsize City setting).
  • Rochester Institute of Technology is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Brigham Young University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Rochester Institute of Technology 13:1; Brigham Young University 21:1.

RIT vs. BYU Cost Comparison

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

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Brigham Young University than RIT ($16,694 vs. $39,534).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Brigham Young University are 35.6% lower than at Rochester Institute of Technology ($10,396 vs. $16,142).
  • Rochester Institute of Technology is 786.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than BYU (about $52,586 more per year; $59,274.00 vs. $6,688.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 786.3% higher at RIT than at Brigham Young University (about $52,586 more per year; $59,274.00 vs. $6,688.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rochester Institute of Technology than at Brigham Young University (98% vs. 51%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rochester Institute of Technology students is 476.2% larger than aid received by Brigham Young University students ($35,077 vs. $6,088).

RIT vs. BYU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, RIT or BYU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between BYU and RIT .

  • The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Rochester Institute of Technology (1380) is 10 points higher than at BYU (1370).
  • Incoming RIT students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate) (31 vs. 30 at BYU).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Rochester Institute of Technology 1300/1460; Brigham Young University 1270/1460.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Rochester Institute of Technology 29/33; Brigham Young University 28/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: RIT - Test optional; BYU - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: RIT Jan 15, 2027; BYU Dec 16, 2026.
  • Enrolled freshman BYU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at RIT (3.7).
  • BYU has a higher acceptance rate (67.8%) than RIT (66.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 16.3% at RIT vs. 77.5% at BYU.

RIT vs. BYU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for RIT and BYU? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • Brigham Young University's six-year graduation rate (78%) is higher than Rochester Institute of Technology's (64%).
  • Graduates from Brigham Young University earn a median of about $4,200 more per year than RIT graduates about ten years after starting college ($69,100 vs. $64,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Brigham Young University graduates have a $17,000 lower median loan debt than RIT graduates ($11,000 vs. $28,000).
  • Among borrowers, BYU graduates have an estimated $176 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than RIT graduates ($113 vs. $289).
  • More BYU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RIT students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 75%)

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.