University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. RPI

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

University of Massachusetts-Lowell RPI
Location Lowell, MA Troy, NY
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 16,770 7,024
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #428 #124
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uml.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Massachusetts-Lowell RPI
Tuition (In State) $15,850 $60,360
Tuition (Out of State) $34,676 $60,360
Room & Board $15,424 $17,530
Avg Net Price $17,624 $35,940
Avg Grant Aid $12,647 $43,994
% Receiving Grant Aid 79% 96%

Admission

University of Massachusetts-Lowell RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,628 16,283
Admitted 10,764 9,517
Acceptance Rate 85.2% 58.4%
Enrolled % 19.4% 16.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.88
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/30 30/34
SAT Range 1180/1350 1330/1500
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 15, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

University of Massachusetts-Lowell RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

University of Massachusetts-Lowell RPI
Graduation Rate 50% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $284

Diversity

University of Massachusetts-Lowell RPI
% Men 15% 10%
% Women 13% 5%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 64% 59%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

University of Massachusetts-Lowell RPI
% In-State 87% 36%
% Out-of-State 10% 58%

Campus

University of Massachusetts-Lowell 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 Massachusetts Lowell is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (16,770 students vs. 7,024 students)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Massachusetts-Lowell or RPI?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 280.8% more expensive to attend than University of Massachusetts-Lowell for in-state tuition ($60,360.00 vs. $15,850.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 74.1% higher at RPI than University of Massachusetts Lowell ($60,360.00 vs. $34,676.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Lowell than RPI ($17,624 vs. $35,940)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Lowell are 13.7% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($15,424 vs. $17,530)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than University of Massachusetts Lowell (96% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 247.9% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Lowell ($43,994 vs. $12,647)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 171 points higher than at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (1197)
  • Incoming RPI students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (26)
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (3.67)
  • University of Massachusetts-Lowell has a higher acceptance rate (85.2%) than RPI (58.4%)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Massachusetts-Lowell 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 University of Massachusetts-Lowell.

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than University of Massachusetts Lowell (84% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $27,200 more per year than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $55,300)
  • University of Massachusetts Lowell students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,500)
  • University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($258 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Massachusetts-Lowell students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 63%)

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