TCNJ vs. RPI

Deciding between The College of New Jersey 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.

The College of New Jersey
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • TCNJ Ewing, NJ
  • RPI Troy, NY
  • Setting
  • TCNJ Large Suburban
  • RPI Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • TCNJ 8,141
  • RPI 7,040
  • Type
  • TCNJ Public 4 Year
  • RPI Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • TCNJ #177
  • RPI #130
  • Religious Affiliation
  • TCNJ -
  • RPI -
  • Status
  • TCNJ Non-profit
  • RPI Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • TCNJ
  • RPI

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • TCNJ $19,632
  • RPI $64,081
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • TCNJ $25,752
  • RPI $64,081
  • Room & Board
  • TCNJ $14,976
  • RPI $18,120
  • Average Net Price
  • TCNJ $25,580
  • RPI $38,887
  • Average Grant Aid
  • TCNJ $13,360
  • RPI $43,517
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • TCNJ 59%
  • RPI 95%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • TCNJ 12,766
  • RPI 17,175
  • Admitted
  • TCNJ 7,952
  • RPI 10,901
  • Acceptance Rate
  • TCNJ 62.3%
  • RPI 63.5%
  • Enrolled
  • TCNJ 19.7%
  • RPI 12.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • TCNJ 1240
  • RPI 1440
  • Typical ACT score
  • TCNJ 28
  • RPI 32
  • Average High School GPA
  • TCNJ 3.29
  • RPI 3.88
  • Typical High School Grades
  • TCNJ B+
  • RPI A
  • Admissions Standards
  • TCNJ Difficult
  • RPI Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • TCNJ Low
  • RPI Low
  • ACT Range
  • TCNJ 26/31
  • RPI 30/34
  • SAT Range
  • TCNJ 1140/1340
  • RPI 1375/1510
  • Submit Test Scores
  • TCNJ Test optional
  • RPI Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • TCNJ Feb 1, 2027
  • RPI Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • TCNJ 14:1
  • RPI 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • TCNJ
    • Education (22%)
    • Business (17%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • English and Literature (8%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • RPI
    • Engineering (53%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Engineering Technology (5%)
    • Architecture (5%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • TCNJ 87%
  • RPI 84%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • TCNJ $62,100
  • RPI $82,500
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • TCNJ 85%
  • RPI 92%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • TCNJ $23,250
  • RPI $27,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • TCNJ $240
  • RPI $284

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • TCNJ 43%
  • RPI 69%
  • % Women
  • TCNJ 57%
  • RPI 31%
  • Racial Diversity
  • TCNJ Medium
  • RPI High
  • HBCU
  • TCNJ No
  • RPI No
  • % White
  • TCNJ 66%
  • RPI 59%
  • % Asian
  • TCNJ 10%
  • RPI 10%
  • % Black
  • TCNJ 6%
  • RPI 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • TCNJ 12%
  • RPI 8%
  • % Native American
  • TCNJ 0%
  • RPI 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • TCNJ 0%
  • RPI 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • TCNJ 0%
  • RPI 7%
  • % International
  • TCNJ 0%
  • RPI 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • TCNJ 5%
  • RPI 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • TCNJ 95%
  • RPI 37%
  • % Out-of-State
  • TCNJ 5%
  • RPI 58%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare The College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

The College of New Jersey is larger than RPI based on total student enrollment (8,141 students vs. 7,040 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • The College of New Jersey is located in Ewing, NJ (Large Suburban setting); Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is in Troy, NY (Small City setting).
  • The College of New Jersey is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: The College of New Jersey 14:1; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 14:1.

TCNJ vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TCNJ 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 The College of New Jersey than RPI ($25,580 vs. $38,887).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The College of New Jersey are 17.4% lower than at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($14,976 vs. $18,120).
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 226.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than TCNJ (about $44,449 more per year; $64,081.00 vs. $19,632.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 148.8% higher at RPI than at The College of New Jersey (about $38,329 more per year; $64,081.00 vs. $25,752.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than at The College of New Jersey (95% vs. 59%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 225.7% larger than aid received by The College of New Jersey students ($43,517 vs. $13,360).

TCNJ vs. RPI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, TCNJ 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 TCNJ.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1440) is 200 points higher than at TCNJ (1240).
  • Incoming RPI students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 vs. 28 at TCNJ).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: The College of New Jersey 1140/1340; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 1375/1510.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: The College of New Jersey 26/31; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 30/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: TCNJ - Test optional; RPI - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: TCNJ Feb 1, 2027; RPI Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.59 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at TCNJ (3.29).
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (63.5%) than TCNJ (62.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.7% at TCNJ vs. 12.1% at RPI.

TCNJ vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for TCNJ 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).

  • The College of New Jersey's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's (84%).
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn a median of about $20,400 more per year than TCNJ graduates about ten years after starting college ($82,500 vs. $62,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, The College of New Jersey graduates have a $4,250 lower median loan debt than RPI graduates ($23,250 vs. $27,500).
  • Among borrowers, TCNJ graduates have an estimated $44 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than RPI graduates ($240 vs. $284).
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TCNJ students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 85%)

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.