Is RPI or George Washington better for computer science?

For computer science specifically, RPI usually has the edge. Its identity is much more centered on engineering and technical fields, so CS tends to be a bigger part of campus culture, the course offerings feel more rooted in computing, and your peer group is more likely to be heavily STEM-focused.

RPI makes the most sense for a student who wants a tech-forward environment where computer science is not just one strong department among many, but one of the school’s core academic areas. You’re more likely to find classmates deeply invested in programming, systems, AI, algorithms, and engineering-adjacent work, and that can shape everything from class discussions to clubs to project teams. If you want a campus where building things, problem-solving, and technical collaboration are central to daily life, RPI fits that profile well.

George Washington can still work for CS, but it tends to appeal more to a student who wants computer science in a broader, less engineering-dominant setting. GW’s biggest advantage is location: being in Washington, DC can create access to internships, government-related tech work, policy-tech intersections, research organizations, and employers where computing connects with public service, security, data, or international affairs. That can be especially attractive if your interests lean toward cybersecurity, data policy, civic tech, or applying CS outside a traditional engineering bubble.

The tradeoff is that GW is not as defined by computer science as RPI is. At GW, the CS experience may feel more like one strong option within a university known for many other areas, while at RPI it is much closer to the institution’s academic center of gravity. For a student who wants the strongest pure CS atmosphere of these two, RPI is the clearer pick. For a student who wants CS plus DC access and a more mixed academic culture, GW has a distinct kind of value.