Cornell vs. RPI

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

Cornell RPI
Location Ithaca, NY Troy, NY
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 25,898 6,968
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #19 #110
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornell.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cornell RPI
Tuition (In State) $62,456 $58,600
Tuition (Out of State) $62,456 $58,600
Room & Board $16,988 $16,980
Avg Net Price $26,060 $39,127
Avg Grant Aid $54,219 $38,636
% Receiving Grant Aid 51% 90%

Admission

Cornell RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 69,195 16,863
Admitted 5,168 10,878
Acceptance Rate 7.5% 64.5%
Enrolled % 67.6% 18.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35 30/34
SAT Range 1470/1570 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

Cornell RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

Cornell RPI
Graduation Rate 93% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,400 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,000 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $124 $284

Diversity

Cornell RPI
% Men 47% 69%
% Women 53% 31%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 41% 59%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 12% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 10% 11%
% Unknown Race 8% 2%

Students

Cornell RPI
% In-State 33% 36%
% Out-of-State 55% 58%

Campus

Cornell 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

  • Cornell University is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (25,898 students vs. 6,968 students)

Cornell vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell or RPI?

  • Cornell University is 6.6% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.6% higher at Cornell than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($62,456.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than RPI ($26,060 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 0% lower than costs at Cornell University ($16,980 vs. $16,988)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Cornell University (90% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 40.3% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($54,219 vs. $38,636)

Cornell vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 60 points higher than at RPI (1368)
  • Incoming Cornell students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at RPI (30)
  • Accepted freshman Cornell students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at RPI (3.88)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (64.5%) than Cornell (7.5%)

Cornell vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cornell 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 Cornell.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (93% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $15,900 more per year than RPI graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $82,500)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $15,500 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($12,000 vs. $27,500)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $160 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($124 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cornell students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 87%)

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