Yale vs Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
These are two different admissions games: Yale admits 4.7% of applications, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admits 63.5%.
The share of international students differs sharply: 10.6% (Yale) against 2.2% (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute).
Average aid for an international student is $84,185 (Yale) and $48,307 (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute).
84 points separate the SAT profiles: 1540 (Yale) 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
Yale is the more selective of the two (4.7% vs 63.5% acceptance). Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#11 vs #501-600). Median earnings 10 years after enrollment are effectively tied ($101K vs $102K). Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,976 vs $72,500 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 Yale for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, a higher graduation rate.
Choose Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for: higher graduate earnings, lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Yale is more selective (4.7% vs 63.5% acceptance); Yale has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1456).
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($102K vs $101K); Yale has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.7% vs 83.6%).
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,976 vs $72,500); Yale offers a larger average aid package ($74,353 vs $50,402).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Yale | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #11 | #501-600 |
| Rank · THE | #10 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 4.7% | 63.5% |
| Yield rate | 68.4% | 14.4% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1456 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 3.93 |
| Number of applications | 50,264 | 14,356 |
| International students | 10.6% | 2.2% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $101K | $102K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $66K | $71K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $194K | $137K |
| Graduation rate | 95.7% | 83.6% |
| Retention rate | 99.4% | 91% |
| Median debt | $12,975 | $23,750 |
| Tuition · year | $72,500 | $67,976 |
| Avg. aid package | $74,353 | $50,402 |
| % of need met | 100% | 66.2% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $22,185 | $39,539 |
| Application fee | $80 | $70 |
| Enrollment | 15,657 | 7,042 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Yale or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
It's harder to get into Yale. Yale accepts 4.7% of applicants, while Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute accepts 63.5%.
Do Yale or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates earn more?
Earnings are practically equal - 10 years after enrollment, the median is $101K at Yale and $102K at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
How much is tuition at Yale vs Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
Sticker-price tuition is $72,500 per year at Yale and $67,976 per year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
What SAT score do you need for Yale or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Yale and 1456 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Yale or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #11 for Yale vs #501-600 for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Which university offers more financial aid - Yale or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
The average aid package is $74,353 at Yale and $50,402 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
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