RPI vs. Oberlin

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

 RPI Oberlin
Location Troy, NY Oberlin, OH
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 6,968 2,992
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #110 #148
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rpi.edu oberlin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RPI Oberlin
Tuition (In State) $58,600 $61,106
Tuition (Out of State) $58,600 $61,106
Room & Board $16,980 $18,390
Avg Net Price $39,127 $46,462
Avg Grant Aid $38,636 $35,040
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 98%

Admission

 RPI Oberlin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,863 11,066
Admitted 10,878 3,859
Acceptance Rate 64.5% 34.9%
Enrolled % 18.4% 22.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.88 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 30/34 30/33
SAT Range 1360/1520 1360/1530
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 Oberlin
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (26%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)

Outcomes

 RPI Oberlin
Graduation Rate 84% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,500 $43,900
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $26,579
Median Loan Payment $284 $274

Diversity

 RPI Oberlin
% Men 69% 41%
% Women 31% 59%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 59% 68%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 8% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 6%
% International 11% 8%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 RPI Oberlin
% In-State 36% 6%
% Out-of-State 58% 84%

Campus

 RPI Oberlin
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 Oberlin based on total student enrollment (6,968 students vs. 2,992 students)

RPI vs. Oberlin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RPI or Oberlin?

  • Oberlin College is 4.3% more expensive to attend than RPI for in-state tuition ($61,106.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.3% higher at Oberlin than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($61,106.00 vs. $58,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Oberlin ($39,127 vs. $46,462)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 8.3% lower than costs at Oberlin College ($16,980 vs. $18,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Oberlin College than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (98% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 10.3% larger than aid received Oberlin College ($38,636 vs. $35,040)

RPI vs. Oberlin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 11 points higher than at Oberlin (1357)
  • Incoming Oberlin students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at RPI (30)
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Oberlin (3.67)
  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (64.5%) than Oberlin (34.9%)

RPI vs. Oberlin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Oberlin is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (88% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $38,600 more per year than Oberlin graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $43,900)
  • Oberlin College students graduate with a $921 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($26,579 vs. $27,500)
  • Oberlin graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($274 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Oberlin students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 82%)

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