RPI Troy vs Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) stand as two of the most prestigious technological universities in the United States, each offering a world-class education in STEM fields. While they share a commitment to academic excellence and innovation, these institutions differ in several key aspects. RPI boasts a smaller student body, resulting in a more intimate learning environment, while MIT's larger size provides access to a wider range of resources and opportunities. Acceptance rates vary significantly, with RPI being slightly more accessible than MIT. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs, with popular majors including engineering, computer science, and business. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into further distinctions between these esteemed institutions, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your decision in choosing the best fit for your academic and personal aspirations.

	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Overview
Location	Cambridge, Massachusetts	Troy, New York
Campus setting	City: Midsize	City: Small
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	4-1-4	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	99.0%	89.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	4.1%	53.0%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $75 Graduate: $75	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $75
SAT range	N/A	1360 - 1520
ACT range	N/A	32 - 34
Students submitting SAT score		43.0%
Students submitting ACT score		15.0%
Total number of applicants	33,240	17,498
Total number of admissions given out	1,365	9,277
Admitted students who chose to enroll	1,177	1,322
Yield rate	86.2%	14.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Not required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$58,920	$77,763
Average net price	$30,958	$40,070
Tuition	$55,510	$57,100
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $11,550 Meal plan: $6,550	Room/dormitory: $9,119 Meal plan: $7,260
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $32,562	97.0% Average amount $35,754
Students receiving federal student loan	6.0% Average amount $5,112	52.0% Average amount $5,116
Students taking out private loans	1.0% Average amount $17,891	10.0% Average amount $24,172

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	4,638 Men 51.9% Women 48.1%	5,614 Men 69.0% Women 31.0%
Graduate students	7,296 Men 62.0% Women 38.0%	1,160 Men 69.1% Women 30.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	29.2%	19.5%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	6,280	3,930
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	California Texas New York Florida New Jersey	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Engineering Business Computer and Information Science Architecture Mathematics and Statistics	Engineering Computer and Information Science Business Mathematics and Statistics Physical Science
Students to faculty ratio	3:1	13:1
Institutional accreditation	New England Commission on Higher Education	Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	96.2%	84.2%
Dropout rate	3.0%	14.9%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $144,716 Year 2: $150,045 Year 3: $183,153 Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $170,089 Year 2: $165,236 Year 3: $182,183 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $118,191 Year 2: $127,993 Year 3: $163,496 Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $82,796 Year 2: $117,572 Year 3: $155,540 Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $133,685 Year 2: $137,214 Year 3: $155,079 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $104,229 Year 2: $121,226 Year 3: $139,548 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $141,603 Year 2: $126,504 Year 3: $132,987 Mechanical Engineering (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $112,885 Year 3: $124,425 Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $135,266 Year 2: $111,435 Year 3: $112,404 Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $109,955 Year 2: $104,749 Year 3: $109,672	Computer Science (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $112,746 Year 2: $119,061 Year 3: $127,865 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $83,880 Year 2: $92,277 Year 3: $111,450 Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $76,042 Year 2: $88,933 Year 3: $99,954 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $71,265 Year 2: $87,973 Year 3: $94,503 Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $71,333 Year 2: $79,284 Year 3: $93,665 Applied Mathematics (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $81,333 Year 3: $90,716 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $72,826 Year 2: $76,460 Year 3: $88,913 Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $80,471 Year 2: $81,702 Year 3: $85,953 Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $67,066 Year 2: $63,005 Year 3: $84,973 Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $65,458 Year 2: $77,213 Year 3: $84,039

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