RIT vs. Lafayette College

Should I go to Rochester Institute of Technology or Lafayette College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if RIT or Lafayette College 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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Rochester Institute of Technology vs. Lafayette College comparison
Rochester Institute of Technology Lafayette College College 3 College 4
Rochester Institute of Technology Lafayette College
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Overview

RIT Lafayette College
Location Rochester, NY Easton, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 16,863 2,764
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #182 #66
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rit.edu lafayette.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

RIT Lafayette College
Tuition (In State) $56,136 $61,482
Tuition (Out of State) $56,136 $61,482
Room & Board $15,516 $18,640
Avg Net Price $39,753 $34,728
Avg Grant Aid $31,931 $44,126
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 52%

Admission

RIT Lafayette College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 24,269 9,874
Admitted 17,328 3,107
Acceptance Rate 71.4% 31.5%
Enrolled % 17.6% 22.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 29/33 30/33
SAT Range 1280/1460 1340/1490
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 15, 2025

Academics

RIT Lafayette College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (16%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Engineering Technology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

RIT Lafayette College
Graduation Rate 64% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,900 $81,000
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $289 $268

Diversity

RIT Lafayette College
% Men 10% 0%
% Women 7% 0%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 66% 67%
% Black 5% 5%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 6% 9%
% Unknown Race 5% 7%

Students

RIT Lafayette College
% In-State 45% 13%
% Out-of-State 52% 79%

Campus

RIT Lafayette College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Rochester Institute of Technology is larger than than Lafayette College based on total student enrollment (16,863 students vs. 2,764 students)

RIT vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RIT or Lafayette College?

  • Lafayette College is 9.5% more expensive to attend than RIT for in-state tuition ($61,482.00 vs. $56,136.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.5% higher at Lafayette College than Rochester Institute of Technology ($61,482.00 vs. $56,136.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lafayette College than RIT ($34,728 vs. $39,753)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rochester Institute of Technology are 20.1% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($15,516 vs. $18,640)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rochester Institute of Technology than Lafayette College (99% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lafayette College students is 38.2% larger than aid received Rochester Institute of Technology ($44,126 vs. $31,931)

RIT vs. Lafayette College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lafayette College (1294) is 43 points higher than at RIT (1251)
  • Incoming RIT students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at Lafayette College (29)
  • Accepted freshman RIT students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Lafayette College (3.53)
  • RIT has a higher acceptance rate (71.4%) than Lafayette College (31.5%)

RIT vs. Lafayette College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RIT or Lafayette College? 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 Lafayette College and RIT .

  • The graduation rate at Lafayette College is higher than Rochester Institute of Technology (88% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Lafayette College earn on average $16,100 more per year than RIT graduates after ten years. ($81,000 vs. $64,900)
  • Lafayette College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RIT graduates. ($26,000 vs. $28,000)
  • Lafayette College graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than RIT graduates. ($268 vs. $289)
  • More Lafayette College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RIT students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 75%)

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