RPI vs. Denison

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

 RPI Denison
Location Troy, NY Granville, OH
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 6,968 2,416
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #110 #98
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rpi.edu denison.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RPI Denison
Tuition (In State) $58,600 $60,000
Tuition (Out of State) $58,600 $60,000
Room & Board $16,980 $14,400
Avg Net Price $39,127 $38,267
Avg Grant Aid $38,636 $36,497
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 97%

Admission

 RPI Denison
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,863 12,220
Admitted 10,878 2,684
Acceptance Rate 64.5% 22%
Enrolled % 18.4% 25.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.88 3.76
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 30/34 29/32
SAT Range 1360/1520 1270/1460
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 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

 RPI Denison
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 RPI Denison
Graduation Rate 84% 79%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,500 $56,100
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $284 $268

Diversity

 RPI Denison
% Men 69% 48%
% Women 31% 52%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 59% 66%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 8% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 11% 8%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 RPI Denison
% In-State 36% 21%
% Out-of-State 58% 65%

Campus

 RPI Denison
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
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 Denison based on total student enrollment (6,968 students vs. 2,416 students)

RPI vs. Denison Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RPI or Denison?

  • Denison University is 2.4% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($60,000.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.4% higher at Denison than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($60,000.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Denison University than RPI ($38,267 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Denison University are 17.9% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($14,400 vs. $16,980)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Denison University than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (97% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 5.9% larger than aid received Denison University ($38,636 vs. $36,497)

RPI vs. Denison Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Denison (3.76)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (64.5%) than Denison (22%)

RPI vs. Denison Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RPI or Denison? 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 Denison and RPI.

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than Denison University (84% vs. 79%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $26,400 more per year than Denison graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $56,100)
  • Denison University students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,500)
  • Denison graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($268 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Denison 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/