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RIT Stevens Carleton College Binghamton University Northeastern U of R Lehigh MIT WPI Case Western Cornell SUNY Stony Brook| St Olaf College | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
St Olaf | RPI | ||
| Location | Northfield, MN | Troy, NY | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 3,046 | 6,968 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #156 | #110 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Evangelical Lutheran Church | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | stolaf.edu | rpi.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
St Olaf | RPI | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $54,650 | $58,600 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $54,650 | $58,600 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,450 | $16,980 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $26,171 | $39,127 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $40,399 | $38,636 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 90% |
Admission |
St Olaf | RPI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 5,524 | 16,863 | ||
| Admitted | 3,116 | 10,878 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 56.4% | 64.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 27.9% | 18.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | 3.88 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 28/33 | 30/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1300/1480 | 1360/1520 | ||
| 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 |
St Olaf | RPI | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
St Olaf | RPI | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 84% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,700 | $82,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 91% | 92% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $27,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $284 |
Diversity |
St Olaf | RPI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 69% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 31% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 75% | 59% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 7% | ||
| % International | 7% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 2% |
Students |
St Olaf | RPI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 47% | 36% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 43% | 58% | ||
Campus |
St Olaf | 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 St Olaf based on total student enrollment (6,968 students vs. 3,046 students)
St Olaf vs. RPI Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, St Olaf or RPI?
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 7.2% more expensive to attend than St Olaf for in-state tuition ($58,600.00 vs. $54,650.00)
- Out of state tuition is 7.2% higher at RPI than St Olaf College ($58,600.00 vs. $54,650.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Olaf College than RPI ($26,171 vs. $39,127)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Olaf College are 36.4% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($12,450 vs. $16,980)
- More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (99% vs. 90%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 4.6% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($40,399 vs. $38,636)
St Olaf vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, St Olaf or RPI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between RPI or St Olaf .
- The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 86 points higher than at St Olaf (1282)
- Incoming RPI students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at St Olaf (29)
- Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at St Olaf (3.68)
- RPI has a higher acceptance rate (64.5%) than St Olaf (56.4%)
St Olaf vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, St Olaf 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 St Olaf.
- The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (85% vs. 84%)
- Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $28,800 more per year than St Olaf graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $53,700)
- St Olaf College students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($27,000 vs. $27,500)
- St Olaf 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 St Olaf students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 91%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/