Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA, USA

Founded in 1865, Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a school of engineering and technology in central Massachusetts. WPI grants bachelor’s degrees in 32 technical and scientific fields of study. In addition, every academic program is centered around a project-based learning foundation known as The WPI Plan. For a break from the rigors of college life, WPI schedules a number of annual celebrations such as Winter Carnival and Gompei’s Birthday, an all-campus party in honor of the Institute’s goat mascot.

Admissions

Key Admissions Stats

Institution Type
Private
  • Not for Profit
  • Coed

Need Aware

This school may consider an applicant’s financial situation when deciding admission

Level of Institution
4 Year
Campus Setting
Small city
0
100
60%
Acceptance Rate

Admissions Requirements

SAT
SAT is not checked
No
ACT
ACT is not checked
No
Transcript
Transcript is checked
Yes

Important Deadlines

Application TypeApplication DeadlineReply Deadline
Early Decision Acceptance is binding so student must attend college if accepted.November 1January 15
Early Action Acceptance is not binding, but student will receive admissions decision earlier.November 1May 1
Fall Regular DecisionFebruary 15May 1
OtherJanuary 15March 15

Admitted Student Stats

In-State Students
44%
Out-Of-State Students
52%
25%
Submitting ACT
70%
Submitting SAT
Average ACT Composite: 31
0
36
Average SAT Composite: 1380
0
1600

Academics

Key Academic Stats

Highest Degree Offered
Doctorate
Total Number of Students
7,230
Total Number of Undergrads
5,224
Academic Calendar

Semester

See your fit
Classroom Sizes

2-19 Students
62%
20-39 Students
22%
40-99 Students
12%
100+ Students
2%
0
100
82%
Graduate in 4 Years US National: 28%
0
100
89%
Graduate in 6 Years US National: 52%
Student:Faculty Ratio
14:1
US National: 21:1

Tuition, Cost & Aid

Key Financial Stats

Average Net Price
$45,834
Calculate your net cost
Tuition
In-State Tuition In-state tuition is the tuition charged by institutions to those students who meet the state's or institution's residency requirements. In-district tuition is the tuition charged by the institution to those students residing in the locality in which they attend school and may be a lower rate than in-state tuition if offered by the institution.
$56,896
Out-of-State Tuition Out-of-state tuition is the tuition charged by institutions to those students who do not meet the state’s or institution’s residency requirements. Out-of-district tuition is the tuition charged by the institution to those students not residing in the locality in which they attend school.
$56,896
Additional Costs
Room and Board The weighted average for room and board and other expenses is generated as follows:
  • (amount for on-campus room, board and other expenses * # of students living on-campus.
  • + amount for off-campus (with family) room, board and other expenses * # of students living off-campus with family
  • + amount for off-campus (not with family) room, board and other expenses * # of students living off-campus not with family)
divided by the total # of students. Students whose living arrangements are unknown are excluded from the calculation. For some institutions the # of students by living arrangement will be known, but dollar amounts will not be known. In this case the # of students with no corresponding dollar amount will be excluded from the denominator.
$16,544
Books and Supplies
$1200

Aid & Grants

0
100
70%
Need Met
Students Receiving Gift Aid Percent of undergraduate students awarded federal gift aid. Federal gift aid includes any grant or scholarship aid awarded, from the federal government, a state or local government, the institution, and other sources known by the institution.
10%
Average Aid Per Year
$23,536
Students Receiving Grants Percent of undergraduate students awarded grant aid. Grant aid includes any grant or scholarship aid awarded, from the federal government, a state or local government, the institution, and other sources known by the institution.
10%
Average Federal Grant Aid Per Year
$6,178
Average Institution Grant Aid Per Year
$22,887

Student Loans

Students Borrowing Loans Loans to students - Any monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student is the designated borrower. Includes all Title IV subsidized and unsubsidized loans and all institutionally- and privately-sponsored loans. Does not include PLUS and other loans made directly to parents.
59%
Average Loan Amount Per Year
$14,589
Average Debt at Graduation The median federal debt of undergraduate borrowers who graduated. This figure includes only federal loans; it excludes private student loans and Parent PLUS loans.
$26,991
Median Monthly Loan Payment The median monthly loan payment for student borrowers who completed, if it were repaid over 10 years at a 5.05% interest rate.
$258

Campus Life

Key Campus Stats

Student Gender
Male
Female
60%
40%
Student Organizations
235
Size of Town
Small city
LGBTQIA Student Resource Groups
LGBTQIA Student Resource Groups is checked
Yes
On Campus Women's Center
On Campus Women's Center is not checked
No

Housing

0
100
49%
Undergrads Living on Campus
On-campus living required of freshman
No

Athletics

Divisional Sports Nickname
Engineers
School Colors
Crimson and Grey
Varsity Athletics Association
NCAA
Varsity Athletics Conference Primary
New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference

Campus Safety

24-HR security patrol
24-HR security patrol is checked
Yes
Campus emergency phones
Campus emergency phones is checked
Yes

After Graduation

Post Grad Stats

Top 5 Cities
Boston
New York
Hartford
San Francisco
Providence
Employed
6 mos. after graduation
66%
Average Salary
6 years after graduation
$84,600

What Students Are Saying

wpi was my top choice for colleges, and it lived up to all of my expectations. i have made amazing friends and taken some pretty awesome, engaging classes. overall, a great college experience.
caroline from norwell, ma
if an engineering degree is what you desire, wpi is the place to go. excellent academics and highly accredited programs. an emphasis on projects and hands-on learning provides real-life experience and preparation.
Tori from Jefferson Hills, PA
Be prepared to do a lot of work. The classes are harder here than at another school for some reason. Their are always people willing to help you.
Kyle from Norton, MA
A tight-knit community for geeks and nerds alike. Expensive but worth the money based on rankings. I am very excited to attend because of the campus and also the academics.
Morgan from Park City, UT
WPI is a wonderful school, especially for engineering students. It has a project-based curriculum that has students creating solutions for actual problems (and implementing them) from their freshman years. It has a beautiful campus and a wonderful community.
Corey from Palisade, CO
WPI is a great school. The professors love what they do and it shows. The classes are really enjoyable.
DeWitt, NY
It's a great place to meet a lot of highly dedicated and hardworking students. Everyone here practically embodies the engineer stereotype, so if you are this type of person, you will feel at home. Tons of cool projects to work on and get involved in.
Alexander from El Paso, TX