Northeastern vs. RPI

Should I go to Northeastern University or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northeastern 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

BU BC RIT Tufts Babson Stevens NYU Brandeis University Binghamton University Bentley UMass George Washington
Northeastern University vs. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute comparison
Northeastern University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute College 3 College 4
Northeastern University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Northeastern RPI
Location Boston, MA Troy, NY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 30,013 6,968
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #130 #110
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northeastern.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northeastern RPI
Tuition (In State) $59,100 $58,600
Tuition (Out of State) $59,100 $58,600
Room & Board $18,430 $16,980
Avg Net Price $35,827 $39,127
Avg Grant Aid $42,331 $38,636
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 90%

Admission

Northeastern RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 91,000 16,863
Admitted 6,191 10,878
Acceptance Rate 6.8% 64.5%
Enrolled % 40.7% 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 33/35 30/34
SAT Range 1440/1550 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 1, 2024 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

Northeastern RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

Northeastern RPI
Graduation Rate 77% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,500 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,875 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $288 $284

Diversity

Northeastern RPI
% Men 48% 69%
% Women 52% 31%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 59%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 20% 11%
% Unknown Race 6% 2%

Students

Northeastern RPI
% In-State 21% 36%
% Out-of-State 66% 58%

Campus

Northeastern RPI
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northeastern University is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (30,013 students vs. 6,968 students)

Northeastern vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northeastern or RPI?

  • Northeastern University is 0.9% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($59,100.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.9% higher at Northeastern than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($59,100.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northeastern University than RPI ($35,827 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 8.5% lower than costs at Northeastern University ($16,980 vs. $18,430)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Northeastern University (90% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northeastern University students is 9.6% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($42,331 vs. $38,636)

Northeastern vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northeastern University (1435) is 67 points higher than at RPI (1368)
  • Incoming Northeastern students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at RPI (30)
  • Accepted freshman Northeastern 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 Northeastern (6.8%)

Northeastern vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northeastern 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 Northeastern.

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than Northeastern University (84% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $13,000 more per year than Northeastern graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $69,500)
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students graduate with a $375 lower median federal student loan debt than Northeastern graduates. ($27,500 vs. $27,875)
  • RPI graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Northeastern graduates. ($284 vs. $288)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northeastern students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 79%)

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