St Olaf vs. RPI

Deciding between St Olaf College and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

St Olaf College
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • St Olaf Northfield, MN
  • RPI Troy, NY
  • Setting
  • St Olaf Distant Town
  • RPI Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • St Olaf 3,124
  • RPI 7,040
  • Type
  • St Olaf Private 4 Year
  • RPI Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • St Olaf #143
  • RPI #130
  • Religious Affiliation
  • St Olaf Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • RPI -
  • Status
  • St Olaf Non-profit
  • RPI Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • St Olaf
  • RPI

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • St Olaf $59,760
  • RPI $64,081
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • St Olaf $59,760
  • RPI $64,081
  • Room & Board
  • St Olaf $13,630
  • RPI $18,120
  • Average Net Price
  • St Olaf $26,756
  • RPI $38,887
  • Average Grant Aid
  • St Olaf $45,098
  • RPI $43,517
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • St Olaf 100%
  • RPI 95%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • St Olaf 6,623
  • RPI 17,175
  • Admitted
  • St Olaf 3,200
  • RPI 10,901
  • Acceptance Rate
  • St Olaf 48.3%
  • RPI 63.5%
  • Enrolled
  • St Olaf 26.8%
  • RPI 12.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • St Olaf 1390
  • RPI 1440
  • Typical ACT score
  • St Olaf 30
  • RPI 32
  • Average High School GPA
  • St Olaf 3.68
  • RPI 3.88
  • Typical High School Grades
  • St Olaf A-
  • RPI A
  • Admissions Standards
  • St Olaf Very High
  • RPI Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • St Olaf Low
  • RPI Low
  • ACT Range
  • St Olaf 28/32
  • RPI 30/34
  • SAT Range
  • St Olaf 1300/1470
  • RPI 1375/1510
  • Submit Test Scores
  • St Olaf Test optional
  • RPI Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • St Olaf Jan 15, 2027
  • RPI Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • St Olaf 11:1
  • RPI 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • St Olaf
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
    • Physical Sciences (8%)
    • Mathematics (8%)
  • RPI
    • Engineering (53%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Engineering Technology (5%)
    • Architecture (5%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • St Olaf 85%
  • RPI 84%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • St Olaf $53,700
  • RPI $82,500
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • St Olaf 91%
  • RPI 92%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • St Olaf $27,000
  • RPI $27,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • St Olaf $279
  • RPI $284

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • St Olaf 42%
  • RPI 69%
  • % Women
  • St Olaf 58%
  • RPI 31%
  • Racial Diversity
  • St Olaf Low
  • RPI High
  • HBCU
  • St Olaf No
  • RPI No
  • % White
  • St Olaf 75%
  • RPI 59%
  • % Asian
  • St Olaf 6%
  • RPI 10%
  • % Black
  • St Olaf 2%
  • RPI 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • St Olaf 5%
  • RPI 8%
  • % Native American
  • St Olaf 0%
  • RPI 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • St Olaf 0%
  • RPI 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • St Olaf 4%
  • RPI 7%
  • % International
  • St Olaf 7%
  • RPI 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • St Olaf 1%
  • RPI 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • St Olaf 44%
  • RPI 37%
  • % Out-of-State
  • St Olaf 42%
  • RPI 58%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • St Olaf Yes
  • RPI Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • St Olaf No
  • RPI Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • St Olaf Yes
  • RPI Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • St Olaf No
  • RPI No
  • Daycare Facility
  • St Olaf No
  • RPI No

Comparable Facts

Compare St Olaf College in Northfield, MN with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than St Olaf based on total student enrollment (7,040 students vs. 3,124 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • St Olaf College is located in Northfield, MN (Distant Town setting); Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is in Troy, NY (Small City setting).
  • St Olaf College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: St Olaf College 11:1; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 14:1.

St Olaf vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St Olaf or RPI? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Olaf College than RPI ($26,756 vs. $38,887).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Olaf College are 24.8% lower than at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($13,630 vs. $18,120).
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 7.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than St Olaf (about $4,321 more per year; $64,081.00 vs. $59,760.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 7.2% higher at RPI than at St Olaf College (about $4,321 more per year; $64,081.00 vs. $59,760.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at St Olaf College than at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (100% vs. 95%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 3.6% larger than aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students ($45,098 vs. $43,517).

St Olaf vs. RPI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, St Olaf or RPI? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between RPI and St Olaf.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1440) is 50 points higher than at St Olaf (1390).
  • Incoming RPI students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 vs. 30 at St Olaf).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St Olaf College 1300/1470; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 1375/1510.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St Olaf College 28/32; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 30/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St Olaf - Test optional; RPI - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: St Olaf Jan 15, 2027; RPI Jan 15, 2027.
  • 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 (63.5%) than St Olaf (48.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 26.8% at St Olaf vs. 12.1% at RPI.

St Olaf vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St Olaf and RPI? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • St Olaf College's six-year graduation rate (85%) is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's (84%).
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn a median of about $28,800 more per year than St Olaf graduates about ten years after starting college ($82,500 vs. $53,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, St Olaf College graduates have a $500 lower median loan debt than RPI graduates ($27,000 vs. $27,500).
  • Among borrowers, St Olaf graduates have an estimated $5 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.