UD vs. RPI

Should I go to University of Delaware or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UD 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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University of Delaware vs. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute comparison
University of Delaware Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute College 3 College 4
University of Delaware Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
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Overview

 UD RPI
Location Newark, DE Troy, NY
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 24,039 6,968
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #151 #110
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website udel.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UD RPI
Tuition (In State) $13,370 $58,600
Tuition (Out of State) $35,890 $58,600
Room & Board $14,234 $16,980
Avg Net Price $18,044 $39,127
Avg Grant Aid $12,375 $38,636
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 90%

Admission

 UD RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 35,362 16,863
Admitted 26,101 10,878
Acceptance Rate 73.8% 64.5%
Enrolled % 18.8% 18.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 26/31 30/34
SAT Range 1190/1360 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

 UD RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

 UD RPI
Graduation Rate 78% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,300 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,203 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $250 $284

Diversity

 UD RPI
% Men 43% 69%
% Women 57% 31%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 59%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 8% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 UD RPI
% In-State 33% 36%
% Out-of-State 65% 58%

Campus

 UD 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

  • University of Delaware is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (24,039 students vs. 6,968 students)

UD vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UD or RPI?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 338.3% more expensive to attend than UD for in-state tuition ($58,600.00 vs. $13,370.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 63.3% higher at RPI than University of Delaware ($58,600.00 vs. $35,890.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Delaware than RPI ($18,044 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Delaware are 19.3% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($14,234 vs. $16,980)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than University of Delaware (90% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 212.2% larger than aid received University of Delaware ($38,636 vs. $12,375)

UD vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 170 points higher than at UD (1198)
  • Incoming RPI students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at UD (27)
  • Accepted freshman UD students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at RPI (3.88)
  • UD has a higher acceptance rate (73.8%) than RPI (64.5%)

UD vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UD 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 UD.

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than University of Delaware (84% vs. 78%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $21,200 more per year than UD graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $61,300)
  • University of Delaware students graduate with a $3,297 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($24,203 vs. $27,500)
  • UD graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($250 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UD students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 80%)

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