RIT vs. Penn State

Deciding between Rochester Institute of Technology and Penn State Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Rochester Institute of Technology
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • RIT Rochester, NY
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • RIT Large Suburban
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • RIT 17,098
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • RIT Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • RIT #175
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • RIT -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • RIT Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • RIT
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • RIT $59,274
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • RIT $59,274
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • RIT $16,142
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • RIT $39,534
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • RIT $35,077
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • RIT 98%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • RIT 27,911
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • RIT 18,682
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • RIT 66.9%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • RIT 16.3%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • RIT 1380
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • RIT 31
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • RIT 3.7
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • RIT A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • RIT Very High
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • RIT Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • RIT 29/33
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • RIT 1300/1460
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • RIT Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • RIT Jan 15, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • RIT 13:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • RIT
    • Visual and Performing Arts (16%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
    • Engineering (13%)
    • Business (13%)
    • Engineering Technology (11%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • RIT 64%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • RIT $64,900
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • RIT 75%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • RIT $28,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • RIT $289
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • RIT 64%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • RIT 36%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • RIT Medium
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • RIT No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • RIT 66%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • RIT 8%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • RIT 5%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • RIT 7%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • RIT 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • RIT 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • RIT 3%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • RIT 6%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • RIT 5%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • RIT 44%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • RIT 51%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • RIT Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • RIT No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • RIT Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • RIT Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • RIT Yes
  • Penn State Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY with Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than RIT based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 17,098 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Rochester Institute of Technology is located in Rochester, NY (Large Suburban setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Rochester Institute of Technology is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Rochester Institute of Technology 13:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

RIT vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RIT or Penn State? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than RIT ($27,889 vs. $39,534).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 10.3% lower than at Rochester Institute of Technology ($14,474 vs. $16,142).
  • Rochester Institute of Technology is 187.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $38,630 more per year; $59,274.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 41.8% higher at RIT than at Penn State Main Campus (about $17,484 more per year; $59,274.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rochester Institute of Technology than at Penn State Main Campus (98% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rochester Institute of Technology students is 209.4% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($35,077 vs. $11,336).

RIT vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, RIT or Penn State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State and RIT .

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Rochester Institute of Technology (1380) is 50 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming RIT students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (31 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Rochester Institute of Technology 1300/1460; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Rochester Institute of Technology 29/33; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: RIT - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: RIT Jan 15, 2027.
  • RIT has a higher acceptance rate (66.9%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 16.3% at RIT vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

RIT vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for RIT and Penn State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Penn State Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than Rochester Institute of Technology's (64%).
  • Graduates from Rochester Institute of Technology earn a median of about $9,600 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($64,900 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $1,182 lower median loan debt than RIT graduates ($26,818 vs. $28,000).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $12 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than RIT graduates ($277 vs. $289).
  • More RIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.