RIT vs. SUNY Poly

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

 RIT SUNY Poly
Location Rochester, NY Utica, NY
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 16,615 2,842
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #172 #257
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rit.edu sunyit.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RIT SUNY Poly
Tuition (In State) $53,720 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $53,720 $17,830
Room & Board $14,978 $14,008
Avg Net Price $39,600 $13,799
Avg Grant Aid $29,122 $9,497
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 89%

Admission

 RIT SUNY Poly
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 23,976 2,919
Admitted 16,105 2,384
Acceptance Rate 67.2% 81.7%
Enrolled % 19.9% 16%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/33 23/31
SAT Range 1270/1450 1040/1400
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 RIT SUNY Poly
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (16%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Engineering Technology (11%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Engineering Technology (20%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)

Outcomes

 RIT SUNY Poly
Graduation Rate 64% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,900 $53,200
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,000 $16,585
Median Loan Payment $289 $171

Diversity

 RIT SUNY Poly
% Men 65% 59%
% Women 35% 41%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 79%
% Black 5% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

 RIT SUNY Poly
% In-State 47% 95%
% Out-of-State 49% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rochester Institute of Technology is larger than than SUNY Poly based on total student enrollment (16,615 students vs. 2,842 students)

RIT vs. SUNY Poly Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RIT or SUNY Poly?

  • Rochester Institute of Technology is 659.8% more expensive to attend than SUNY Poly for in-state tuition ($53,720.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 201.3% higher at RIT than SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($53,720.00 vs. $17,830.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than RIT ($13,799 vs. $39,600)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY Polytechnic Institute are 6.9% lower than costs at Rochester Institute of Technology ($14,008 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rochester Institute of Technology than SUNY Polytechnic Institute (97% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rochester Institute of Technology students is 206.6% larger than aid received SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($29,122 vs. $9,497)

RIT vs. SUNY Poly Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rochester Institute of Technology (1251) is 110 points higher than at SUNY Poly (1141)
  • Incoming RIT students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at SUNY Poly (26)
  • Accepted freshman RIT students have at the same average high school GPA (3.7) as students at SUNY Poly (3.7)
  • SUNY Poly has a higher acceptance rate (81.7%) than RIT (67.2%)

RIT vs. SUNY Poly Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RIT or SUNY Poly? 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 SUNY Poly and RIT .

  • The graduation rate at RIT is higher than SUNY Polytechnic Institute (64% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Rochester Institute of Technology earn on average $11,700 more per year than SUNY Poly graduates after ten years. ($64,900 vs. $53,200)
  • SUNY Polytechnic Institute students graduate with a $11,415 lower median federal student loan debt than RIT graduates. ($16,585 vs. $28,000)
  • SUNY Poly graduates are paying $118 less per month on federal student loans than RIT graduates. ($171 vs. $289)
  • More RIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Poly students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 63%)

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