Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
AMHERST, MA
Iowa State University
AMES, IA
COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute vs Iowa State - 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
Iowa State University
IOWA STATE
Ames, IA
World rank · ARWU#501-600
Acceptance88.66%
Median SAT1250
Graduation rate75.3%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$63K
🔒 UNDERGRADUATE 🔒 GRADUATE

KEY DATA

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Iowa State University
#501-600 World rank · ARWU #501-600
- Rank · THE -
63.5% Acceptance rate 88.66%
1456 Median SAT 1250
83.6% Graduation rate 75.3%
7,042 Enrollment 30,432

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

63.5% Acceptance rate 88.66%
14.4% Yield rate 28.8%
1456 Median SAT 1250
3.93 Avg. GPA 3.75
14,356 Number of applications 23,095
2.2% Int'l students 3.7%
$102K Median earnings · 10 yrs $63K
$71K Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs $44K
$137K Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs $90K
83.6% Graduation rate 75.3%
91% Retention rate 87.6%
$23,750 Median debt $22,869
$67,976 Tuition · year $28,881
$50,402 Avg. aid package $15,665
66.2% % of need met 78%
$39,539 Avg. graduate debt $29,475
$70 Application fee $40
$48,307 Avg. int'l aid $12,582
At a glance
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute leads in 7 of 12 measured metrics
Aid$50,402 vs $15,665
Tuition$67,976 vs $28,881
Yield14.4% vs 28.8%

The verdict, from the data

The lower acceptance rate belongs to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: 63.5% against 88.7% (Iowa State).

Real money goes to international students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($48,307 on average), while Iowa State stops at $12,582.

The cheaper tuition belongs to Iowa State: $28,881 against $67,976, or $39,095 less a year.

Ten years on, graduates of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn noticeably more: $102K against $63K.

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

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is the more selective of the two (63.5% vs 88.66% acceptance). Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($102K vs $63K). Iowa State has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,881 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 selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.

Choose Iowa State for: lower tuition, lower graduate debt.

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

BY THE NUMBERS

Admissions

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is more selective (63.5% vs 88.66% acceptance); Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has a higher median SAT (1456 vs 1250).

Graduate outcomes

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($102K vs $63K); Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has a higher 6-year graduation rate (83.6% vs 75.3%).

Cost and aid

Iowa State has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,881 vs $67,976); Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute offers a larger average aid package ($50,402 vs $15,665).

VALUE LANDSCAPE

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

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Iowa State
World rank · ARWU#501-600#501-600
Rank · THE--
Acceptance rate63.5%88.66%
Yield rate14.4%28.8%
Median SAT14561250
Avg. GPA3.933.75
Number of applications14,35623,095
International students2.2%3.7%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$102K$63K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs$71K$44K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs$137K$90K
Graduation rate83.6%75.3%
Retention rate91%87.6%
Median debt$23,750$22,869
Tuition · year$67,976$28,881
Avg. aid package$50,402$15,665
% of need met66.2%78%
Avg. graduate debt$39,539$29,475
Application fee$70$40
Enrollment7,04230,432

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is it harder to get into Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or Iowa State?

It's harder to get into Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute accepts 63.5% of applicants, while Iowa State accepts 88.66%.

Do Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or Iowa State graduates earn more?

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $102K vs $63K.

How much is tuition at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute vs Iowa State?

Sticker-price tuition is $67,976 per year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and $28,881 per year at Iowa State.

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

The median admitted SAT score is 1456 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and 1250 at Iowa State; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.

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

The average aid package is $50,402 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and $15,665 at Iowa State.

Compare Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with
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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.