Rochester Institute of Technology
#10 Best Engineering Colleges in New York- Graduation Rate
- 70% B-
- Solid completion rate — most students graduate
- Earnings (10yr)
- $76,571 A
- Top 5% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $34,906 F
- 104% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 67% B-
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 13.2× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $13.2 over 20 years. Ranked #10 in Best Engineering Colleges in New York.
Every $1 spent returns $13.2 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,709,602.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduates earn 88% more than the national college median.
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Inventor rate in the top 8% nationally — patents, startups, and new technology flow from its graduates.
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A top feeder school for 2 major employers.
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Social mobility rate of 3.27% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 3.7%
- Top 8%
- Patents
- 481
- Linked to graduates
- World Rank
- #601-800
- Times Higher Education
- Employer Pipelines
- 2
- Top feeder programs
- Patent Citations
- 737
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 13/100
- Times Higher Education
Why Rochester Institute of Technology Matters
Rochester Institute of Technology is a private research university in Rochester, NY ranked #601-800 in the world by Times Higher Education, and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a strong research base, an unusually high rate of inventors and patents, a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network, and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 5% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Research University
- Carnegie Class
- R2 · High Research
- Enrollment
- 13,215
- Setting
- Suburban
- Primary Strengths
- Computer Science & IT, Engineering, Visual & Performing Arts, Business & Marketing
Why students choose Rochester Institute of Technology
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 67% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1300–1460. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $34,906 a year after grants and scholarships — 104% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $76,571 ten years after enrolling — 88% above the typical college, against $26,778 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 3.3% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 8% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.65 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Rochester Institute of Technology is a great fit for students looking to dive into fields like Computer Science, Engineering, or the Visual and Performing Arts. With an enrollment of over 13,000, it creates a vibrant community where collaboration thrives. The acceptance rate of 67% means there’s a fair chance for applicants, but it’s also a place where students are serious about their studies. What stands out here is the blend of technical and creative programs, allowing students to explore their passions while preparing for the workforce.
After graduation, RIT alumni see promising outcomes, with average earnings of $76,571 a decade after receiving their degree. This figure is significant, as it suggests that graduates are well-prepared to enter the job market and succeed. While the school is accessible, affordability is a consideration. With a net price of $34,906 after aid, it’s important to weigh this against the potential earnings. For many, the investment pays off, especially in fields known for strong job prospects.
When it comes to the financial aspects, prospective students should note the median debt of $26,778. This figure is manageable, especially given the earning potential after graduation. The 27% Pell Grant rate indicates that a portion of students receive financial assistance, which can help ease the burden. Those who thrive at RIT often have a clear focus on their career goals and are ready to engage with both academic and extracurricular opportunities.
Rankings
- #10 Best Engineering Colleges in New York
- #15 Best Computer Science Colleges in New York
- #15 Best Data Science Colleges in New York
- #22 Best Colleges for Low-Income Inventors
- #23 Best MBA Programs for Leadership
- #24 Colleges With the Highest Inventor Rate
- #26 Best MBA Programs for Supply Chain Management
- #29 Colleges Getting More Accessible Over Time
Can I Get In?
How selective Rochester Institute of Technology is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Rochester Institute of Technology? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Rochester, New York, Rochester Institute of Technology offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 67% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,383. The graduation rate is roughly 70%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 67%
- Retention Rate
- 89%
- SAT Average
- 1383
- ACT Midpoint
- 31
- SAT Range
- 1300–1460
- ACT Range
- 29–33
- Full-Time Faculty
- 70%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $11,525
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 13:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.60
- First-Gen Students
- 19%
- Applicants
- 23,976
- Admitted
- 16,105
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Rochester Institute of Technology? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Rochester Institute of Technology is $59,274, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $34,906. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $24,680 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $26,778 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $59,274
- Out-of-State
- $59,274
- Avg Net Price
- $34,906
- Median Debt
- $26,778
- Pell Grant Rate
- 27%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 53%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $24,680
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $24,820
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $28,874
- Family Income $110K+
- $44,970
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Rochester Institute of Technology Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Rochester Institute of Technology earn a median of $76,571, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $65,457
- 8 Years
- $70,978
- 10 Years
- $76,571
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.35x
- Earning > $25K
- 76%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (642)
- 26%
- 100% (642)
- 26%
- 100% (642)
- 26%
- 100% (642)
- 26%
Where Grads Go
Rochester Institute of Technology is a top feeder for:
Rank among programs feeding each employer.
Top employers of Rochester Institute of Technology’s MBA graduates, by hires reported in the school’s employment report.
- WWP Beauty ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
- Rochester Regional Health ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
- Morris ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
- ITX Corp ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
- Adobe Systems ✓ VerifiedTechnology · Class of 2025
- BMW Manufacturing ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
- Connekt Worldwide ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
- EFPR Group ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
- Excellus BlueCross BlueShield ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
- M&T Bank ✓ VerifiedFinance & banking · Class of 2025
- Naval Supply Systems Command ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
- Paychex ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
- Retail Business Services ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
- Texas Instruments ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
- The Bonadio Group ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
- Wegmans Food Markets ✓ VerifiedOther · Class of 2025
How Rochester Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Rochester Institute of Technology Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Rochester Institute of Technology delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $34,906/year ($139,624 total). Graduates earn $76,571 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,849,226 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,709,602 (13.2× your investment). The median debt is $26,778, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 70% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $139,624
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,849,226
- Net Return
- $1,709,602
- ROI Multiple
- 13.2×
- Cost Per Year
- $34,906
- Median Debt
- $26,778
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 70%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Rochester Institute of Technology Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Rochester Institute of Technology is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.27%, among the highest in the country. About 6.3% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 51.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $95,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 3.27%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 51.7%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 6.3%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $95,700
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Rochester Institute of Technology produces inventors at an exceptional rate — the top 8% of U.S. colleges, with 481 patents tied to its graduates, and ranks among research universities with a 13/100 research score.
- Inventor Rate
- 3.71%
- Top 8% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 481
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 737
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 13/100
- Times Higher Ed
- Academic Influence
- 25/100
- Citation impact (THE)
- Industry Engagement
- 30/100
- Knowledge transfer (THE)
- Inventors From Low-Income
- 1.97%
- Bottom-20% families
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-36,126,000
Top Programs
The fields Rochester Institute of Technology awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.
- Computer Science & IT 25%
- Engineering 25%
- Visual & Performing Arts 11%
- Business & Marketing 7%
- Humanities 5%
- Biology & Biomedical 5%
- Health Professions 3%
- Physical Sciences 3%
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Rochester Institute of Technology's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- CPhysicist$142,850 · 5% growthAdaptable 66
- CAstronomer$142,850 · 4% growthAdaptable 66
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Rochester Institute of Technology? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Rochester, New York, Rochester Institute of Technology offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 67% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,383. The graduation rate is roughly 70%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Rochester Institute of Technology? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Rochester Institute of Technology is $59,274, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $34,906. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $24,680 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $26,778 in federal student loans.
Is Rochester Institute of Technology Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Rochester Institute of Technology earn a median of $76,571, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
Does Rochester Institute of Technology Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Rochester Institute of Technology is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.27%, among the highest in the country. About 6.3% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 51.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $95,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Rochester Institute of Technology? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Rochester Institute of Technology. Its economic connectedness score is 1.65, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
How Research-Intensive Is Rochester Institute of Technology? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
Times Higher Education places Rochester Institute of Technology at #601-800 worldwide. Its profile spans a research score of 13/100, teaching at 17/100, and citation impact of 25/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Rochester Institute of Technology.
- DePaul UniversityChicago, IL · Close peer69% grad $68,751 earn 76% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
- Loyola University ChicagoChicago, IL · Close peer75% grad $71,530 earn 82% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Drexel UniversityPhiladelphia, PA · Close peer78% grad $84,648 earn 79% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Adelphi UniversityGarden City, NY · Close peer68% grad $75,482 earn 66% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Hofstra UniversityHempstead, NY · Close peer68% grad $69,039 earn 68% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Syracuse UniversitySyracuse, NY · Close peer82% grad $79,164 earn 46% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar size · same state
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Rochester Institute of Technology? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Rochester Institute of Technology. Its economic connectedness score is 1.65, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note