Houghton College vs. RPI

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

 Houghton College RPI
Location Houghton, NY Troy, NY
Setting Remote Rural Small City
Enrollment 833 6,968
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #110
Religious Affiliation Wesleyan - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website houghton.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Houghton College RPI
Tuition (In State) $15,900 $58,600
Tuition (Out of State) $15,900 $58,600
Room & Board $10,336 $16,980
Avg Net Price $21,550 $39,127
Avg Grant Aid $8,587 $38,636
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 90%

Admission

 Houghton College RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 974 16,863
Admitted 750 10,878
Acceptance Rate 77% 64.5%
Enrolled % 24% 18.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.88
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 30/34
SAT Range 1110/1320 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 15, 2024

Academics

 Houghton College RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

 Houghton College RPI
Graduation Rate 68% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,300 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,500 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $263 $284

Diversity

 Houghton College RPI
% Men 37% 69%
% Women 63% 31%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 78% 59%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 2% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 11% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Houghton College RPI
% In-State 58% 36%
% Out-of-State 34% 58%

Campus

 Houghton College 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 Houghton College based on total student enrollment (6,968 students vs. 833 students)

Houghton College vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Houghton College or RPI?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 268.6% more expensive to attend than Houghton College for in-state tuition ($58,600.00 vs. $15,900.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 268.6% higher at RPI than Houghton College ($58,600.00 vs. $15,900.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Houghton College than RPI ($21,550 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Houghton College are 64.3% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($10,336 vs. $16,980)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Houghton College than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (99% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 349.9% larger than aid received Houghton College ($38,636 vs. $8,587)

Houghton College vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 258 points higher than at Houghton College (1110)
  • Incoming RPI students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Houghton College (25)
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.63 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Houghton College (3.25)
  • Houghton College has a higher acceptance rate (77%) than RPI (64.5%)

Houghton College vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Houghton College 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 Houghton College.

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than Houghton College (84% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $38,200 more per year than Houghton College graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $44,300)
  • Houghton College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($25,500 vs. $27,500)
  • Houghton College graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($263 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Houghton College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 77%)

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