AMHERST, MA

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute vs Temple - US university comparison

RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

Amherst, MA

World rank · ARWU#501-600

Acceptance63.5%

Median SAT1456

Graduation rate83.6%

Median earnings · 10 yrs$102K

TEMPLE

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

World rank · ARWU#401-500

Acceptance80.45%

Median SAT1250

Graduation rate75%

Median earnings · 10 yrs$64K

🔒 UNDERGRADUATE 🔒 GRADUATE

KEY DATA

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Temple University

#501-600 World rank · ARWU #401-500

- Rank · THE -

63.5% Acceptance rate 80.45%

1456 Median SAT 1250

83.6% Graduation rate 75%

7,042 Enrollment 29,637

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

63.5% Acceptance rate 80.45%

14.4% Yield rate 15%

1456 Median SAT 1250

3.93 Avg. GPA 3.42

14,356 Number of applications 40,817

2.2% Int'l students 4.4%

At a glance

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute leads in 10 of 12 measured metrics

Aid$50,402 vs $17,833

Tuition$67,976 vs $40,144

Earnings$102K vs $64K

The verdict, from the data

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admits 63.5% of applicants, while Temple admits 80.5%.

Real money goes to international students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($48,307 on average), while Temple stops at $16,607.

The cheaper tuition belongs to Temple: $40,144 against $67,976, or $27,832 less a year.

The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: $102K against $64K.

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 80.45% acceptance). Temple ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#501-600 vs #401-500). Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($102K vs $64K). Temple has lower sticker-price tuition ($40,144 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 Temple for: a higher world ranking, lower tuition.

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 80.45% 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 $64K); Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has a higher 6-year graduation rate (83.6% vs 75%).

Cost and aid

Temple has lower sticker-price tuition ($40,144 vs $67,976); Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute offers a larger average aid package ($50,402 vs $17,833).

VALUE LANDSCAPE

Each dot is a comparable US university; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Temple highlighted. Up and to the left = better value ratio.

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	Temple
World rank · ARWU	#501-600	#401-500
Rank · THE	-	-
Acceptance rate	63.5%	80.45%
Yield rate	14.4%	15%
Median SAT	1456	1250
Avg. GPA	3.93	3.42
Number of applications	14,356	40,817
International students	2.2%	4.4%
Median earnings · 10 yrs	$102K	$64K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs	$71K	$41K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs	$137K	$92K
Graduation rate	83.6%	75%
Retention rate	91%	83%
Median debt	$23,750	$24,395
Tuition · year	$67,976	$40,144
Avg. aid package	$50,402	$17,833
% of need met	66.2%	60.5%
Avg. graduate debt	$39,539	$41,808
Application fee	$70	$55
Enrollment	7,042	29,637

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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

It's harder to get into Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute accepts 63.5% of applicants, while Temple accepts 80.45%.

Do Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or Temple graduates earn more?

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $102K vs $64K.

How much is tuition at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute vs Temple?

Sticker-price tuition is $67,976 per year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and $40,144 per year at Temple.

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

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

Which university ranks higher - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or Temple?

Temple ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #501-600 for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute vs #401-500 for Temple.

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

The average aid package is $50,402 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and $17,833 at Temple.

Compare Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with

Harvard

Stanford

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Washington University

Northwestern

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.