Notre Dame vs. RPI

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

 Notre Dame RPI
Location Notre Dame, IN Troy, NY
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 13,105 6,968
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #31 #110
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nd.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Notre Dame RPI
Tuition (In State) $59,794 $58,600
Tuition (Out of State) $59,794 $58,600
Room & Board $16,710 $16,980
Avg Net Price $28,474 $39,127
Avg Grant Aid $49,859 $38,636
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 90%

Admission

 Notre Dame RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 26,509 16,863
Admitted 3,421 10,878
Acceptance Rate 12.9% 64.5%
Enrolled % 59.5% 18.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 32/35 30/34
SAT Range 1450/1550 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 1, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Notre Dame RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

 Notre Dame RPI
Graduation Rate 96% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,800 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $222 $284

Diversity

 Notre Dame RPI
% Men 53% 69%
% Women 47% 31%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 69% 59%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 11% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 6% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Notre Dame RPI
% In-State 6% 36%
% Out-of-State 84% 58%

Campus

 Notre Dame 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 Notre Dame is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (13,105 students vs. 6,968 students)

Notre Dame vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Notre Dame or RPI?

  • University of Notre Dame is 2% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($59,794.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2% higher at Notre Dame than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($59,794.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Notre Dame than RPI ($28,474 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Notre Dame are 1.6% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($16,710 vs. $16,980)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than University of Notre Dame (90% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Notre Dame students is 29% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($49,859 vs. $38,636)

Notre Dame vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Notre Dame (1455) is 87 points higher than at RPI (1368)
  • Incoming Notre Dame students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at RPI (30)
  • Accepted freshman Notre Dame students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at RPI (3.88)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (64.5%) than Notre Dame (12.9%)

Notre Dame vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Notre Dame 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 Notre Dame .

  • The graduation rate at Notre Dame is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (96% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from University of Notre Dame earn on average $7,300 more per year than RPI graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $82,500)
  • University of Notre Dame students graduate with a $6,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,500)
  • Notre Dame graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($222 vs. $284)
  • More Notre Dame graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RPI students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 92%)

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