WPI vs. Plymouth

Comparable Facts

Compare Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA with Plymouth State University in Plymouth, NH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute is larger than Plymouth based on total student enrollment (7,584 students vs. 3,707 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute is located in Worcester, MA (Midsize City setting); Plymouth State University is in Plymouth, NH (Remote Town setting).
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Plymouth State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Worcester Polytechnic Institute 13:1; Plymouth State University 15:1.

WPI vs. Plymouth Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WPI or Plymouth? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Plymouth State University than WPI ($20,183 vs. $47,372).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Plymouth State University are 28.4% lower than at Worcester Polytechnic Institute ($13,158 vs. $18,386).
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute is 316.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Plymouth (about $46,339 more per year; $60,965.00 vs. $14,626.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 138.5% higher at WPI than at Plymouth State University (about $35,399 more per year; $60,965.00 vs. $25,566.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Worcester Polytechnic Institute as at Plymouth State University (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Worcester Polytechnic Institute students is 185.8% larger than aid received by Plymouth State University students ($31,545 vs. $11,039).

WPI vs. Plymouth Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, WPI or Plymouth? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Plymouth and WPI.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: WPI - Test-free; Plymouth - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: WPI Feb 15, 2027; Plymouth Apr 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman WPI students have a 0.82 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Plymouth (3.08).
• Plymouth has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than WPI (60.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18.1% at WPI vs. 13.7% at Plymouth.

WPI vs. Plymouth Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for WPI and Plymouth? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute's six-year graduation rate (76%) is higher than Plymouth State University's (59%).
• Graduates from Worcester Polytechnic Institute earn a median of about $40,500 more per year than Plymouth graduates about ten years after starting college ($82,700 vs. $42,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Plymouth State University and WPI graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Plymouth State University and WPI graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
• More WPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Plymouth students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 73%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.