Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY, USA

Founded in 1824, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is the oldest continuously operating technological research university in the United States. On top of the usual academic offerings, RPI has programs in current and emerging issues, including in renewable energy, cybersecurity, biotechnology, materials science, big data, and nanotechnology, as well as a number of theatrical and musical organizations like the RPI Players and Rensselyrics a cappella singers. The campus in Troy, NY, is situated on 275 acres featuring 746 labs, studios, and technology spaces used for research, 475 facilities used for academic classrooms, and one of the most powerful university-based supercomputers in the world.

Admissions

Key Admissions Stats

Institution Type
Private
  • Not for Profit
  • Coed

Need Blind

This school does not consider an applicant’s financial situation when deciding admission

Level of Institution
4 Year
Campus Setting
Small city
0
100
57%
Acceptance Rate

Admissions Requirements

SAT
SAT is checked
Yes
ACT
ACT is checked
Yes
Transcript
Transcript is checked
Yes

Important Deadlines

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

Admitted Student Stats

In-State Students
30%
Out-Of-State Students
64%
29%
Submitting ACT
67%
Submitting SAT
Average ACT Composite: 31
0
36
Average SAT Composite: 1399
0
1600

Academics

Key Academic Stats

Highest Degree Offered
Doctorate
Total Number of Students
7,501
Total Number of Undergrads
6,283
Academic Calendar

Semester

See your fit
Classroom Sizes

2-19 Students
52%
20-39 Students
30%
40-99 Students
14%
100+ Students
1%
0
100
62%
Graduate in 4 Years US National: 28%
0
100
86%
Graduate in 6 Years US National: 52%
Student:Faculty Ratio
17:1
US National: 21:1

Tuition, Cost & Aid

Key Financial Stats

Average Net Price
$40,661
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.
$58,526
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.
$58,526
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.
$16,379
Books and Supplies
$1250

Aid & Grants

0
100
79%
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.
17%
Average Aid Per Year
$33,155
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.
17%
Average Federal Grant Aid Per Year
$3,539
Average Institution Grant Aid Per Year
$31,461

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.
46%
Average Loan Amount Per Year
$10,027
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.
$22,258
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.
$239

Campus Life

Key Campus Stats

Student Gender
Male
Female
69%
31%
Student Organizations
229
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 checked
Yes

Housing

0
100
57%
Undergrads Living on Campus
On-campus living required of freshman
Yes

Athletics

Divisional Sports Nickname
Engineers
School Colors
cherry and white
Varsity Athletics Association
NCAA
Varsity Athletics Conference Primary
Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association

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
New York
Albany
Boston
San Francisco
Washington
Employed
6 mos. after graduation
93%
Average Salary
6 years after graduation
$86,000

What Students Are Saying

RPI is a great engineering school with the prefect combo of old and new. The campus has a nice feeling and the students and very helpful. Amazing education paired with a great campus, student body, and a good surrounding town.
Michaela from Brewster, NY
The academics are very difficult but rewarding. The professors know their stuff and are very accessible outside of class room hours. The students are all brilliant but are typically quite socially though less so than other major tech universities.
Benjamin from Scotts Valley, CA
The ratio is definitely noticeable, but not a huge deal once you consider how many guys don't come out of their rooms to socialize. The courses are tough, so we work hard during the week (and a bit on the weekend), and then play hard on weekends. Ice hockey games are the best to watch with friends!!
Eryka from Bogart, GA
RPI is a challenging school and is for those who are technically oriented. I was always the top of my class in high school and now I fight for every A, which is the challenge I was looking for all my life. If someone does not like the idea of being required to take physics and calculus, this school is not for you. However, there aren't any true English classes, so there is a trade-off. What everyone hears about the ratio is true, there are far more males than females, but this is the nature of an engineering school that used to be all-male.
Hannah