William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. RPI

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

William Paterson University of New Jersey RPI
Location Wayne, NJ Troy, NY
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 9,426 7,024
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #596 #124
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wpunj.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

William Paterson University of New Jersey RPI
Tuition (In State) $14,690 $60,360
Tuition (Out of State) $24,004 $60,360
Room & Board $15,990 $17,530
Avg Net Price $16,999 $35,940
Avg Grant Aid $13,984 $43,994
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 96%

Admission

William Paterson University of New Jersey RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,754 16,283
Admitted 7,174 9,517
Acceptance Rate 92.5% 58.4%
Enrolled % 12.3% 16.3%
Avg High School GPA 2.97 3.88
Typical High School Grades B- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 30/34
SAT Range 990/1345 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 Jun 1, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

William Paterson University of New Jersey RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

William Paterson University of New Jersey RPI
Graduation Rate 46% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,500 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $253 $284

Diversity

William Paterson University of New Jersey RPI
% Men 7% 10%
% Women 24% 5%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 59%
% Black 16% 3%
% Hispanic 27% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 0% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

William Paterson University of New Jersey RPI
% In-State 89% 36%
% Out-of-State 6% 58%

Campus

William Paterson University of New Jersey 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

  • William Paterson University of New Jersey is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (9,426 students vs. 7,024 students)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, William Paterson University of New Jersey or RPI?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 310.9% more expensive to attend than William Paterson University of New Jersey for in-state tuition ($60,360.00 vs. $14,690.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 151.5% higher at RPI than William Paterson University of New Jersey ($60,360.00 vs. $24,004.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at William Paterson University of New Jersey than RPI ($16,999 vs. $35,940)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at William Paterson University of New Jersey are 9.6% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($15,990 vs. $17,530)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than William Paterson University of New Jersey (96% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 214.6% larger than aid received William Paterson University of New Jersey ($43,994 vs. $13,984)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 378 points higher than at William Paterson University of New Jersey (990)
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.91 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at William Paterson University of New Jersey (2.97)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey has a higher acceptance rate (92.5%) than RPI (58.4%)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, William Paterson University of New Jersey 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 William Paterson University of New Jersey.

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than William Paterson University of New Jersey (84% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $36,000 more per year than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $46,500)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($24,500 vs. $27,500)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($253 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former William Paterson University of New Jersey students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 59%)

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