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Williams RIT Stevens Tufts Swarthmore Middlebury Dartmouth Brown Vassar Binghamton University Northeastern Harvard| Amherst College | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Amherst | RPI | ||
| Location | Amherst, MA | Troy, NY | ||
| Setting | Town Fringe | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,898 | 6,968 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #16 | #110 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | amherst.edu | rpi.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Amherst | RPI | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,500 | $58,600 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,500 | $58,600 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,750 | $16,980 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $21,367 | $39,127 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $58,693 | $38,636 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 58% | 90% |
Admission |
Amherst | RPI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 14,864 | 16,863 | ||
| Admitted | 1,079 | 10,878 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 7.3% | 64.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 43.3% | 18.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.91 | 3.88 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 32/35 | 30/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1420/1550 | 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 2, 2024 | Jan 15, 2024 |
Academics |
Amherst | RPI | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 7:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Amherst | RPI | ||
| Graduation Rate | 96% | 84% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $82,000 | $82,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 83% | 92% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $12,975 | $27,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $134 | $284 |
Diversity |
Amherst | RPI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 48% | 69% | ||
| % Women | 52% | 31% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 42% | 59% | ||
| % Black | 12% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 13% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 7% | ||
| % International | 10% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 2% |
Students |
Amherst | RPI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 13% | 36% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 74% | 58% | ||
Campus |
Amherst | 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
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (6,968 students vs. 1,898 students)
Amherst vs. RPI Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Amherst or RPI?
- Amherst College is 8.4% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $58,600.00)
- Out of state tuition is 8.4% higher at Amherst than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($63,500.00 vs. $58,600.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than RPI ($21,367 vs. $39,127)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 1.4% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($16,750 vs. $16,980)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Amherst College (90% vs. 58%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 51.9% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($58,693 vs. $38,636)
Amherst vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Amherst or RPI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between RPI or Amherst .
- The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 83 points higher than at RPI (1368)
- Incoming Amherst students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at RPI (30)
- Accepted freshman Amherst 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 Amherst (7.3%)
Amherst vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Amherst 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 Amherst.
- The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (96% vs. 84%)
- Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $500 more per year than Amherst graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $82,000)
- Amherst College students graduate with a $14,525 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($12,975 vs. $27,500)
- Amherst graduates are paying $150 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($134 vs. $284)
- More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Amherst students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 83%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/