UMBC vs. RPI

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

 UMBC RPI
Location Baltimore, MD Troy, NY
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 13,991 6,968
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #303 #110
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMBC RPI
Tuition (In State) $9,056 $58,600
Tuition (Out of State) $25,820 $58,600
Room & Board $13,378 $16,980
Avg Net Price $17,692 $39,127
Avg Grant Aid $8,889 $38,636
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 90%

Admission

 UMBC RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,534 16,863
Admitted 9,291 10,878
Acceptance Rate 80.6% 64.5%
Enrolled % 23.1% 18.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/29 30/34
SAT Range 1210/1390 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 Feb 1, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 UMBC RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

 UMBC RPI
Graduation Rate 57% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,197 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $219 $284

Diversity

 UMBC RPI
% Men 53% 69%
% Women 47% 31%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 59%
% Black 17% 3%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

 UMBC RPI
% In-State 90% 36%
% Out-of-State 5% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Maryland Baltimore County is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (13,991 students vs. 6,968 students)

UMBC vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or RPI?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 547.1% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($58,600.00 vs. $9,056.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 127% higher at RPI than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($58,600.00 vs. $25,820.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than RPI ($17,692 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 26.9% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($13,378 vs. $16,980)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (92% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 334.6% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($38,636 vs. $8,889)

UMBC vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 159 points higher than at UMBC (1209)
  • Incoming RPI students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at UMBC (27)
  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at RPI (3.88)
  • UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (80.6%) than RPI (64.5%)

UMBC vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMBC 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 UMBC.

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (84% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $23,000 more per year than UMBC graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $59,500)
  • University of Maryland Baltimore County students graduate with a $6,303 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($21,197 vs. $27,500)
  • UMBC graduates are paying $65 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($219 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 67%)

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