Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY · Private · Small city · Carnegie R1/R2 · RPI · Rensselaer

Private institution in Troy, NY · 5,909 undergraduates · 58% acceptance rate · $102,051 median earnings 10 years after entry.

Top 2%Median earnings, 10 years after entry
Top 3%Median earnings, 6 years after entry
Top 4%Median ACT
Top 8%Graduation rate (4-year)

Stats

College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.

Cost

Average net price: $33,1391,819th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
In-state tuition & fees: $61,8841,956th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees: $61,8841,956th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Cost of attendance: $79,9341,907th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
Median graduate debt: $23,7501,114th lowest of 1,880 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry: $102,05132nd highest of 1,969 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry: $83,05451st highest of 1,964 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year): 83.2%166th highest of 2,031 reporting
Full-time retention: 88.7%285th highest of 1,853 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate: 58.5%377th most selective of 1,608 reporting
Average SAT: 141586th highest of 1,024 reporting
Median ACT: 3334th highest of 954 reporting

Campus

Undergraduates: 5,909428th largest of 2,162 reporting
Student-faculty ratio: 14.0:11,172nd smallest of 2,159 reporting
Pell Grant share: 18.6%1,789th highest of 2,140 reporting

Nearest large-hub airport: 135 mi (LGA)

On 7 of our 111 lists

Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.

Applying

EDNov 1
ED IIJan 5
EADec 4
RDJan 21

Common App member: Yes
Application fee: $70
Personal essay: Required
Writing supplement: Yes

Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.

Best-paying fields of study

Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 45 reported programs.

Field	Level	1 yr	2 yr
Computer Science	bachelors	$91,211	$92,277
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Science	bachelors	$84,653	$87,532
Computer Engineering Technologies/TechniciansEngineering Technology	bachelors	$82,194	$88,933
Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$74,576	$76,460
Civil EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$69,897	$68,047
Nuclear EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$68,965	$57,318
Materials EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$68,331	$64,990
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherMultidisciplinary Studies	bachelors	$68,219	$69,338
Chemical EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$67,828	$69,338
Design and Applied ArtsVisual & Performing Arts	bachelors	$67,660	$26,739
Environmental/Environmental Health EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$66,941	$52,941
EconomicsSocial Sciences	bachelors	$66,325	$68,790

Campus facts

Founded in 1824source
Athletic nickname: "Engineers"source
Competes in NCAA Division IIIsource
School colors: Whitesource
Motto: ""Knowledge and Thoroughness""source
Campus size: about 265 acressource
Formerly known as "Rensselaer School" (1824–1834)source
Formerly known as "Rensselaer Institute" (1834–1861)source
Athletic conference: Liberty Leaguesource
A [[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program institutionsource
A Space-grant]]}} institutionsource
Fight song: ""[[Hail, Dear Old Rensselaer]]""source
Notable alum: Ivar Giæversource
Notable alum: Dennis Titosource
Notable alum: Raymond Tomlinsonsource
Notable alum: Jack Swigertsource
Notable alum: Reid Wisemansource

Athletics — 12 sports

NCAA Division III with football · NCAA Division III

Athletic scholarships not allowed · Athletic aid $2,786,202 (M $1,420,805 · W $1,365,397)

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport. Athletic scholarships are not allowed by association rule; non-athletic merit or need-based aid may still be available.