Boston College vs Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
These are two different admissions games: Boston College admits 16.2% of applications, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admits 63.5%.
Average aid for an international student is $48,307 (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) and $39,634 (Boston College).
On paper the cheaper option is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: $67,976 against $73,508, which is $5,532 less a year.
44 points separate the SAT profiles: 1500 (Boston College) against 1456.
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Boston College is the more selective of the two (16.19% vs 63.5% acceptance). Median earnings 10 years after enrollment are effectively tied ($104K vs $102K). Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,976 vs $73,508 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Boston College for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.
Choose Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for: lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Boston College is more selective (16.19% vs 63.5% acceptance); Boston College has a higher median SAT (1500 vs 1456).
Boston College graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($104K vs $102K); Boston College has a higher 6-year graduation rate (90.8% vs 83.6%).
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,976 vs $73,508); Boston College offers a larger average aid package ($61,753 vs $50,402).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Boston College | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #501-600 | #501-600 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 16.19% | 63.5% |
| Yield rate | 42.5% | 14.4% |
| Median SAT | 1500 | 1456 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 3.93 |
| Number of applications | 34,779 | 14,356 |
| International students | 6.6% | 2.2% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $104K | $102K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $68K | $71K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $162K | $137K |
| Graduation rate | 90.8% | 83.6% |
| Retention rate | 96% | 91% |
| Median debt | $19,000 | $23,750 |
| Tuition · year | $73,508 | $67,976 |
| Avg. aid package | $61,753 | $50,402 |
| % of need met | 100% | 66.2% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $24,892 | $39,539 |
| Application fee | - | $70 |
| Enrollment | 14,726 | 7,042 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Boston College or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
It's harder to get into Boston College. Boston College accepts 16.19% of applicants, while Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute accepts 63.5%.
Do Boston College or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates earn more?
Earnings are practically equal - 10 years after enrollment, the median is $104K at Boston College and $102K at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
How much is tuition at Boston College vs Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
Sticker-price tuition is $73,508 per year at Boston College and $67,976 per year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
What SAT score do you need for Boston College or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
The median admitted SAT score is 1500 at Boston College and 1456 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university offers more financial aid - Boston College or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
The average aid package is $61,753 at Boston College and $50,402 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Harvard
Stanford
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Princeton
Yale
Cornell
Penn
Johns Hopkins
Washington University
Northwestern