RIT vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College

Should I go to Rochester Institute of Technology or Penn State Erie Behrend College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if RIT or Penn State Erie-Behrend 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

RPI Clarkson Penn State Harrisburg UB Binghamton University Stevens Syracuse Drexel IIT U of R MIT NJIT
Rochester Institute of Technology vs. Penn State Erie Behrend College comparison
Rochester Institute of Technology Penn State Erie Behrend College College 3 College 4
Rochester Institute of Technology Penn State Erie Behrend College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

RIT Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Location Rochester, NY Erie, PA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 16,615 3,295
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #172 #503
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rit.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

RIT Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Tuition (In State) $53,720 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $53,720 $25,854
Room & Board $14,978 $12,984
Avg Net Price $39,600 $21,968
Avg Grant Aid $29,122 $9,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 71%

Admission

RIT Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 23,976 4,363
Admitted 16,105 4,164
Acceptance Rate 67.2% 95.4%
Enrolled % 19.9% 19.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.49
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/33 22/30
SAT Range 1270/1450 1095/1330
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

Academics

RIT Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (16%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Engineering Technology (11%)
  • Business (38%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

RIT Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Graduation Rate 64% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,900 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $289 $277

Diversity

RIT Penn State Erie-Behrend College
% Men 65% 64%
% Women 35% 36%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 79%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 6% 9%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

RIT Penn State Erie-Behrend College
% In-State 47% 74%
% Out-of-State 49% 19%

Campus

RIT Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Rochester Institute of Technology is larger than than Penn State Erie-Behrend College based on total student enrollment (16,615 students vs. 3,295 students)

RIT vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RIT or Penn State Erie-Behrend College?

  • Rochester Institute of Technology is 249.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State Erie-Behrend College for in-state tuition ($53,720.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 107.8% higher at RIT than Penn State Erie Behrend College ($53,720.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Erie Behrend College than RIT ($21,968 vs. $39,600)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Erie Behrend College are 15.4% lower than costs at Rochester Institute of Technology ($12,984 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rochester Institute of Technology than Penn State Erie Behrend College (97% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rochester Institute of Technology students is 200.7% larger than aid received Penn State Erie Behrend College ($29,122 vs. $9,685)

RIT vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rochester Institute of Technology (1251) is 197 points higher than at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (1054)
  • Incoming RIT students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (23)
  • Accepted freshman RIT students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (3.49)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College has a higher acceptance rate (95.4%) than RIT (67.2%)

RIT vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RIT or Penn State Erie-Behrend 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 Penn State Erie-Behrend College and RIT .

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Erie-Behrend College is higher than Rochester Institute of Technology (66% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Rochester Institute of Technology earn on average $9,600 more per year than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates after ten years. ($64,900 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Erie Behrend College students graduate with a $1,182 lower median federal student loan debt than RIT graduates. ($26,818 vs. $28,000)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than RIT graduates. ($277 vs. $289)
  • More RIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Erie-Behrend College students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 69%)

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