Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
AMHERST, MA
Cornell University
ITHACA, NEW YORK
COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute vs Cornell - US university comparison

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
Amherst, MA
World rank · ARWU#501-600
Acceptance63.5%
Median SAT1456
Graduation rate83.6%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$102K
Cornell University
CORNELL
Ithaca, New York
World rank · ARWU#12
Acceptance8.41%
Median SAT1540
Graduation rate95.4%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$104K
🔒 UNDERGRADUATE 🔒 GRADUATE

KEY DATA

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Cornell University
#501-600 World rank · ARWU #12
- Rank · THE #20
63.5% Acceptance rate 8.41%
1456 Median SAT 1540
83.6% Graduation rate 95.4%
7,042 Enrollment 26,793

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

63.5% Acceptance rate 8.41%
14.4% Yield rate 63.9%
1456 Median SAT 1540
3.93 Avg. GPA -
14,356 Number of applications 65,612
2.2% Int'l students 10.3%
$102K Median earnings · 10 yrs $104K
$71K Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs $67K
$137K Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs $166K
83.6% Graduation rate 95.4%
91% Retention rate 98.1%
$23,750 Median debt $14,000
$67,976 Tuition · year $72,270
$50,402 Avg. aid package $64,225
66.2% % of need met 100%
$39,539 Avg. graduate debt $29,441
$70 Application fee $80
$48,307 Avg. int'l aid $84,351
At a glance
Cornell leads in 10 of 11 measured metrics
Acceptance63.5% vs 8.41%
Yield14.4% vs 63.9%
Debt$23,750 vs $14,000

The verdict, from the data

These are two different admissions games: Cornell admits 8.4% of applications, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admits 63.5%.

The more international environment is at Cornell (10.3% international students) than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2.2%).

For an applicant from outside the US the difference is financial: Cornell awards international students $84,351 on average, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute awards $48,307.

84 points separate the SAT profiles: 1540 (Cornell) against 1456.

None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.

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

Cornell is the more selective of the two (8.41% vs 63.5% acceptance). Cornell ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#501-600 vs #12). Median earnings 10 years after enrollment are effectively tied ($102K vs $104K). Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,976 vs $72,270 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 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for: lower tuition.

Choose Cornell for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.

College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.

BY THE NUMBERS

Admissions

Cornell is more selective (8.41% vs 63.5% acceptance); Cornell has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1456).

Graduate outcomes

Cornell graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($104K vs $102K); Cornell has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.4% vs 83.6%).

Cost and aid

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,976 vs $72,270); Cornell offers a larger average aid package ($64,225 vs $50,402).

VALUE LANDSCAPE

$35k$76k$117k$158k$11k$35k$59k$83kRensselaer Polytechnic InstituteCornell TUITION · YEAR → MEDIAN EARNINGS · 10 YRS →
Each dot is a comparable US university; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Cornell highlighted. Up and to the left = better value ratio.

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Cornell
World rank · ARWU#501-600#12
Rank · THE-#20
Acceptance rate63.5%8.41%
Yield rate14.4%63.9%
Median SAT14561540
Avg. GPA3.93-
Number of applications14,35665,612
International students2.2%10.3%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$102K$104K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs$71K$67K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs$137K$166K
Graduation rate83.6%95.4%
Retention rate91%98.1%
Median debt$23,750$14,000
Tuition · year$67,976$72,270
Avg. aid package$50,402$64,225
% of need met66.2%100%
Avg. graduate debt$39,539$29,441
Application fee$70$80
Enrollment7,04226,793

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is it harder to get into Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or Cornell?

It's harder to get into Cornell. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute accepts 63.5% of applicants, while Cornell accepts 8.41%.

Do Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or Cornell graduates earn more?

Earnings are practically equal - 10 years after enrollment, the median is $102K at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and $104K at Cornell.

How much is tuition at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute vs Cornell?

Sticker-price tuition is $67,976 per year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and $72,270 per year at Cornell.

What SAT score do you need for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or Cornell?

The median admitted SAT score is 1456 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and 1540 at Cornell; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.

Which university ranks higher - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or Cornell?

Cornell ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #501-600 for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute vs #12 for Cornell.

Which university offers more financial aid - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or Cornell?

The average aid package is $50,402 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and $64,225 at Cornell.

Compare Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with
Harvard Stanford Massachusetts Institute of Technology Princeton Yale Penn Johns Hopkins Washington University Northwestern North Carolina
Highest-ranked in ARWU. Click "↻ Change university" in the cards above to choose from all 47 universities (+35).
All metrics come 100% from College Council Atlas (canonical) - admissions, SAT, GPA, graduate outcomes, financial aid and costs from IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25; rankings from ARWU 2024 and THE 2025. Zero manual fields. "-" = not yet in canonical.