Rochester vs Temple - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Rochester admits 40.1%, Temple admits 80.5%.
The share of international students differs sharply: 22.1% (Rochester) against 4.4% (Temple).
For an applicant from outside the US the difference is financial: Rochester awards international students $41,269 on average, Temple awards $16,607.
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Rochester starts at $93,614 against $58,550 and ends at $32,735 against $40,717 (Temple).
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
Rochester is the more selective of the two (40.08% vs 80.45% acceptance). Rochester ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#151-200 vs #401-500). Rochester graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($79K vs $64K). Temple has lower sticker-price tuition ($40,144 vs $70,284 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 Rochester for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
Choose Temple for: lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Rochester is more selective (40.08% vs 80.45% acceptance); Rochester has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 1250).
Rochester graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($79K vs $64K); Rochester has a higher 6-year graduation rate (85.4% vs 75%).
Temple has lower sticker-price tuition ($40,144 vs $70,284); Rochester offers a larger average aid package ($60,879 vs $17,833).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Rochester | Temple |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #151-200 | #401-500 |
| Rank · THE | #127 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 40.08% | 80.45% |
| Yield rate | 15.4% | 15% |
| Median SAT | 1470 | 1250 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.72 | 3.42 |
| Number of applications | 21,384 | 40,817 |
| International students | 22.1% | 4.4% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $79K | $64K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $50K | $41K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $117K | $92K |
| Graduation rate | 85.4% | 75% |
| Retention rate | 90.7% | 83% |
| Median debt | $21,000 | $24,395 |
| Tuition · year | $70,284 | $40,144 |
| Avg. aid package | $60,879 | $17,833 |
| % of need met | 96.1% | 60.5% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $32,304 | $41,808 |
| Application fee | $50 | $55 |
| Enrollment | 11,946 | 29,637 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Rochester or Temple?
It's harder to get into Rochester. Rochester accepts 40.08% of applicants, while Temple accepts 80.45%.
Do Rochester or Temple graduates earn more?
Rochester graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $79K vs $64K.
How much is tuition at Rochester vs Temple?
Sticker-price tuition is $70,284 per year at Rochester and $40,144 per year at Temple.
What SAT score do you need for Rochester or Temple?
The median admitted SAT score is 1470 at Rochester and 1250 at Temple; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Rochester or Temple?
Rochester ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #151-200 for Rochester vs #401-500 for Temple.
Which university offers more financial aid - Rochester or Temple?
The average aid package is $60,879 at Rochester and $17,833 at Temple.
Harvard
Stanford
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Princeton
Yale
Cornell
Penn
Johns Hopkins
Washington University
Northwestern