Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The lower acceptance rate belongs to Illinois Urbana-Champaign: 42.4% against 63.5% (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute).
The more international environment is at Illinois Urbana-Champaign (14.9% international students) than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2.2%).
Real money goes to international students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($48,307 on average), while Illinois Urbana-Champaign stops at $5,836.
The tuition gap is $29,576 a year: $38,400 (Illinois Urbana-Champaign) against $67,976.
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
Illinois Urbana-Champaign is the more selective of the two (42.37% vs 63.5% acceptance). Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#501-600 vs #55). Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($102K vs $81K). Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $67,976 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: higher graduate earnings, a larger aid package.
Choose Illinois Urbana-Champaign for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, a higher graduation rate.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Illinois Urbana-Champaign is more selective (42.37% vs 63.5% acceptance); Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 1456).
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($102K vs $81K); Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a higher 6-year graduation rate (85.1% vs 83.6%).
Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $67,976); Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute offers a larger average aid package ($50,402 vs $23,217).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #501-600 | #55 |
| Rank · THE | - | #46 |
| Acceptance rate | 63.5% | 42.37% |
| Yield rate | 14.4% | 28.8% |
| Median SAT | 1456 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.93 | - |
| Number of applications | 14,356 | 73,742 |
| International students | 2.2% | 14.9% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $102K | $81K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $71K | $55K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $137K | $117K |
| Graduation rate | 83.6% | 85.1% |
| Retention rate | 91% | 94.8% |
| Median debt | $23,750 | $19,500 |
| Tuition · year | $67,976 | $38,400 |
| Avg. aid package | $50,402 | $23,217 |
| % of need met | 66.2% | 0.8% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $39,539 | $22,395 |
| Application fee | $70 | $50 |
| Enrollment | 7,042 | 59,238 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
It's harder to get into Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute accepts 63.5% of applicants, while Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37%.
Do Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn more?
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $102K vs $81K.
How much is tuition at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
Sticker-price tuition is $67,976 per year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
What SAT score do you need for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
The median admitted SAT score is 1456 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #501-600 for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute vs #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Which university offers more financial aid - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
The average aid package is $50,402 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
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