Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) vs Norwich University

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and Norwich University share a commitment to academic excellence and preparing students for successful careers. However, there are some key differences between the two institutions. WPI is a private research university with a strong focus on STEM fields, while Norwich is a private military college with a long history of leadership and service. WPI has a higher acceptance rate and a larger student body, while Norwich has a smaller student body and a higher graduation rate. Both universities offer a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs, but WPI has a wider range of majors to choose from. To help you make an informed decision about which university is the best fit for you, we've compiled a detailed comparison table that highlights the key differences between WPI and Norwich.
Norwich University logo

Norwich University

Worcester Polytechnic Institute logo

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Overview

Location Northfield, Vermont Worcester, Massachusetts
Campus setting Town: Distant City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 74.0% 94.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 86.8% 60.2%
Application fees $70
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 3,280 11,092
Total number of admissions given out 2,846 6,679
Admitted students who chose to enroll 656 1,410
Yield rate 23.0% 21.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $63,446 $74,271
Average net price $27,973 $48,230
Tuition $41,624 $54,640
Room & board $15,226
Room/dormitory: $9,250

Meal plan: $7,030
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $32,345
98.0%
Average amount $23,821
Students receiving federal student loan 67.0%
Average amount $5,130
51.0%
Average amount $5,212
Students taking out private loans 16.0%
Average amount $16,461
39.0%
Average amount $13,871

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,988
Men 73.9% Women 26.1%
5,224
Men 60.3% Women 39.7%
Graduate students 684
Men 59.9% Women 40.1%
2,006
Men 68.8% Women 31.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 3.7% 13.4%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 2,202 2,508
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Connecticut New York New Hampshire New Jersey Rhode Island

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Military Technologies
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Social Sciences
  • Engineering
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Business
  • Mathematics and Statistics
Students to faculty ratio 14:1 14:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 62.1% 87.2%
Dropout rate 36.2% 12.2%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Information Science/Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $99,287
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $109,359
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $85,565
  • Year 2: $85,760
  • Year 3: $91,938
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $82,904
  • Year 2: $79,912
  • Year 3: $90,759
Civil Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $77,018
  • Year 2: $80,032
  • Year 3: $83,195
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,255
  • Year 2: $64,865
  • Year 3: $68,101
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,795
  • Year 2: $54,869
  • Year 3: $67,718
International Relations and National Security Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,286
  • Year 2: $68,499
  • Year 3: $66,617
Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,753
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $66,206
Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,158
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $62,065
History (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,698
  • Year 2: $54,035
  • Year 3: $58,905
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $111,634
  • Year 2: $119,061
  • Year 3: $127,598
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $97,509
  • Year 2: $96,405
  • Year 3: $113,831
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,601
  • Year 2: $95,207
  • Year 3: $109,222
Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $100,114
  • Year 2: $97,959
  • Year 3: $101,375
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,644
  • Year 2: $79,598
  • Year 3: $91,716
Engineering, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $82,311
  • Year 2: $78,814
  • Year 3: $91,318
Engineering, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $79,688
  • Year 3: $91,034
Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,720
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $82,909
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,868
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $81,510
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,310
  • Year 2: $72,507
  • Year 3: $80,789

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