Rose-Hulman vs. RPI

Should I go to Rose Hulman Institute of Technology or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Rose-Hulman or RPI 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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Rose Hulman Institute of Technology vs. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute comparison
Rose Hulman Institute of Technology Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute College 3 College 4
Rose Hulman Institute of Technology Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
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Overview

 Rose-Hulman RPI
Location Terre Haute, IN Troy, NY
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 2,250 7,024
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #115 #124
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rose-hulman.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Rose-Hulman RPI
Tuition (In State) $52,998 $60,360
Tuition (Out of State) $52,998 $60,360
Room & Board $17,718 $17,530
Avg Net Price $44,016 $35,940
Avg Grant Aid $30,210 $43,994
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 96%

Admission

 Rose-Hulman RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,384 16,283
Admitted 3,920 9,517
Acceptance Rate 72.8% 58.4%
Enrolled % 14.5% 16.3%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.88
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/34 30/34
SAT Range 1280/1470 1330/1500
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 Mar 1, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Rose-Hulman RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (84%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (6%)
  • Physical Sciences (3%)
  • Biology (3%)
  • Mathematics (3%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

 Rose-Hulman RPI
Graduation Rate 77% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $84,200 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $284

Diversity

 Rose-Hulman RPI
% Men 1% 10%
% Women 0% 5%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 59%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 12% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 Rose-Hulman RPI
% In-State 32% 36%
% Out-of-State 61% 58%

Campus

 Rose-Hulman RPI
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than than Rose-Hulman based on total student enrollment (7,024 students vs. 2,250 students)

Rose-Hulman vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rose-Hulman or RPI?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 13.9% more expensive to attend than Rose-Hulman for in-state tuition ($60,360.00 vs. $52,998.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.9% higher at RPI than Rose Hulman Institute of Technology ($60,360.00 vs. $52,998.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Rose-Hulman ($35,940 vs. $44,016)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 1.1% lower than costs at Rose Hulman Institute of Technology ($17,530 vs. $17,718)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rose Hulman Institute of Technology than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 45.6% larger than aid received Rose Hulman Institute of Technology ($43,994 vs. $30,210)

Rose-Hulman vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Rose-Hulman or RPI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between RPI or Rose-Hulman .

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 46 points higher than at Rose-Hulman (1322)
  • Incoming Rose-Hulman students have at the same average ACT score (30) as students at RPI (30)
  • Accepted freshman Rose-Hulman students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at RPI (3.88)
  • Rose-Hulman has a higher acceptance rate (72.8%) than RPI (58.4%)

Rose-Hulman vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rose-Hulman or RPI? 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 RPI and Rose-Hulman.

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than Rose Hulman Institute of Technology (84% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Rose Hulman Institute of Technology earn on average $1,700 more per year than RPI graduates after ten years. ($84,200 vs. $82,500)
  • Rose Hulman Institute of Technology students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($27,000 vs. $27,500)
  • Rose-Hulman graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($279 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rose-Hulman students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 90%)

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