Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private, nonprofit school in the suburban setting of Troy, New York. RPI was founded in 1824 and the school presently has around 6,947 students a year, which includes 5,614 undergraduate students. RPI provides on-campus housing for students. Most students live in off campus housing.
📆 Mark your calendar! The final application deadline for Fall 2023 is January 15. Regular decision applicants for Fall 2023 should hear from RPI by March 12.
There are many ways for students to get involved at RPI!
Are you interested in music or performing? Sing in a chorus or perform with one of RPI's theater groups.
Interested in journalism or communications? RPI students can write for the campus newspaper, host a radio show or be a producer for the student-run television channel.
Excited for Greek life? RPI has fraternities and sororities.
Planning to play sports? RPI has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at RPI on the Student Life page.
2022 RPI Facts At-A-Glance | |
---|---|
Academic Calendar | Semester |
Overall Acceptance Rate | 57% |
Early Decision Acceptance Rate | 70% |
Early Action Acceptance Rate | 96% |
Average GPA | 3.9 |
Applicants Submitting ACT scores | 96% |
Applicants Submitting SAT scores | 67% |
Tuition | $58,600 |
Percent of Need Met | 79% |
Average First-Year Financial Aid Package | $40,410 |
There is no one way to define a "good" college or university. Some factors that can help you determine what a good school for you might be include admissions criteria, acceptance rate, tuition costs, and more.
Let's take a look at these areas to get a clearer sense of what RPI offers and if it seems like a good choice for you.
It is very difficult to get into RPI. RPI admitted 57% of all applicants in 2022. Last year, 16,661 students applied to RPI and 9,539 were admitted.
Retention refers to the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. Retention measures how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.
About 89% of students who start at RPI come back for their second year of college. Around 84% of students who started at RPI earn their Bachelor's degrees within six years. Compare this to the average six-year graduation rate for colleges and universities in the U.S., which is around 61% for public schools and 67% for private.
Job placement rates after graduation and average starting salaries can all give important clues about the value of a degree from a specific school. Within six months of graduating, 93% of graduates receive at least one full-time job offer.
The average starting salary for recent RPI grads is $68,912 a year. Average starting salaries vary by discipline, but the average starting salary for all 2021 graduates was around $60,000 a year.
An endowment is the total value of a school's investments, donations, and assets. Endowment is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of a school, but it can give you a sense of how much money a college can afford to invest in expanding programs, improving facilities, and support students.
As of 2022, the total market value of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's endowment was $1.07 billion. The average college endowment was $905 million in 2021. For each full-time student, RPI spends about $20,149 a year.
Tuition is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need.
RPI meets 79% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. First-year students that attend RPI full-time are awarded $40,410 a year in financial aid, on average.
In 2020, students graduated with an average of $13,759 in student loans for each student with debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.
The 2023-2024 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2022
Some aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA as soon as you can. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! You should never have to pay to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), so be very wary of anyone asking you for money.
Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at RPI.
Based on this information, is RPI the school for you? Remember, the best school for one person may not be the right school for another! So ask yourself: Is RPI a good school for you?
If Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.
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RPI is located in the suburban setting of Troy, New York, in the suburbs of Albany.
If you are interested in seeing RPI for yourself, plan a visit. The best way to reach campus is to take New York State Thruway to Troy, or book a flight to the nearest airport, Albany International.
You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what RPI and Troy are like without leaving home.
See a full list of colleges in New York and save your favorites to your college list.
First-Year Applications are Due
Transfer Applications are Due
The deadline for Fall first-year applications to RPI is Jan 15.
The deadline for Fall transfer applications to RPI is Jun 1.
Check the school website for more information about deadlines for specific programs or special admissions programs
More than an application, the Coalition provides free tools and resources to help students through the college admissions process, beginning as early as 9th grade.
ACT Range
ACT Score
Estimated Chance
34 and Above
29 to 34
29 and Less
The median ACT score of an admitted student to RPI is 30. Students with an ACT score of 34 and above have a good chance of getting into RPI. Students with an ACT score that falls between 29 and 34 have an average chance of getting admitted, and students with an ACT score of 29 or below have a low chance of being offered admission.
Composite SAT Range
Math SAT Range
Reading SAT Range
SAT Score
Estimated Chance
1460 and Above
1310 to 1460
1310 and Less
The median SAT score for RPI students is 1393. Applicants with SAT scores of 1460 and above have a good chance of being admitted to RPI, while applicants with SAT scores between 1310 to 1460 have an average chance of admittance, and prospective students with an SAT score below 1310 have a low chance of being offered a spot at RPI.
Tuition & Fees
Unknown
In StateUnknown
Out-of-StateWondering what life at RPI is like? There are approximately 6,774 students enrolled at RPI, including 5,614 undergraduate students and 1,160 graduate students. 99% percent of students attend school full-time, 36% percent are from NY and 64% percent of students are from other states.
99%
Full Time1%
Part Time36%
In State64%
Out-of-StateData Source: IPEDs and Peterson's Databases © 2022 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved
Total Enrollment
Campus Setting
Acceptance Rate
Tuition and Fees
In State
Out-of-State
Fall Freshmen
Application Deadline
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