Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Overview

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.

Is RPI a Good School?

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.

2022 Acceptance Rate for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

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 and Graduation Rates at RPI

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 Outcomes for RPI Grads

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.

RPI's Endowment

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 and Financial Aid at RPI

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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Where is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Located?

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.

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