Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, commonly known as RPI, is a private research university located in Troy, New York. Founded in 1824, it is the oldest technological research university in the United States. RPI is renowned for its strong focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, and it offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs in these fields.
RPI is known for its rigorous academic programs and commitment to hands-on learning. The university places a heavy emphasis on experiential learning and practical application of knowledge. Students have numerous opportunities to engage in research projects, internships, co-op programs, and entrepreneurial activities, allowing them to gain real-world experience and prepare for successful careers in their chosen fields.
Moreover, RPI is home to several research centers and institutes that contribute to groundbreaking advancements in various disciplines. The university's faculty members are highly accomplished and well-respected researchers, often collaborating with industry partners and government agencies. RPI's research efforts are focused on areas such as energy, nanotechnology, biotechnology, data science, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity, among others.
In addition to its academic and research excellence, RPI is known for its vibrant campus life and strong sense of community. The university offers a variety of extracurricular activities, clubs, and organizations that cater to a wide range of interests. RPI also boasts a rich athletic tradition, competing in NCAA Division III sports and offering numerous intramural and club sports for students to participate in. Overall, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute provides a comprehensive and well-rounded educational experience that prepares students for success in their chosen careers in STEM fields.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private university located in Troy, NY and set in a suburban environment. It has a campus size of 284 acres. This academic institution uses a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 64%. The freshman retention rate at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 89% and the six-year graduation rate is 84%.
The freshmen application deadline for this school is January 15. Explore this school's profile to find out the most essential things about Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Quick Facts
5,895
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
64%
Acceptance Rate
$60,360
Tuition
12:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
84%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
You need to find out as much as you can about the entrance requirements of the school in order to improve your chances of being accepted. Learn some relevant info about admission at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
In 2023, the school accepted 10,832 new students. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has an official test-optional admission policy but considers standardized test scores if the applicant decides to submit them. Looking at entrance difficulty level for all or most incoming freshmen, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is very difficult to get into. With a rich history of academic excellence, it offers an unmatched educational experience.
Test Scores
52% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 15% submitted ACT scores, out of the overall number of those who submitted test scores. 69% of the enrolled students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 30% between 1,200 and 1,399 and 1% between 1,000 and 1,199. The percent of freshman students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 82 and 18 between 24-29.
The average ACT score for all the accepted students in 2023 was 30 and the average GPA was 3.9. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; the same goes for your ACT score.
The SAT Critical Reading average score was 671 for the admitted students, while the average SAT Math score was 722.
Deadlines
Be sure to apply to this school by January 15.
64%
Acceptance Rate
Retention Rate
The percentage of freshmen at a college or university who stay on for their second year is known as the freshman retention rate. When creating your list of possible schools to attend, make sure to consider the freshmen retention rate.
As reported in 2023, the freshman retention rate for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was 89%, which is considered an above-average retention rate and is indicative of the quality of educational experience at this school.
Another important metric to consider is the graduation rate. This rate indicates how many students finish their degrees within a certain timeframe. This academic institution has the six-year graduation rate of 84%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
Making the decision of which school is the optimal fit for you is not simple. Knowing more about the student population can help you get a better idea of the school's culture and life.
Main Student Body
In 2023, the institution enrolled 6,991 students.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 63% for that year. There was a total of 5,895 students working towards bachelor's degrees, including 688 international students. The school admitted a total of 55 transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 4,739 male and 2,144 female full-time students in 2023. There were 691 full-time graduate male and 354 full-time graduate female students at this school.
Student Population Diversity
Higher Education is dedicated to increasing student diversity and enhancing students' feelings of inclusion and belonging. Diversity promotes critical thinking, challenges preconceived notions, and encourages intellectual growth, so it helps students develop empathy and a broader understanding of the world. Discover more about the many ethnic communities that go to this school.
This school had 1,144 Asian students and 282 Afro-American students in 2023. 635 undergrads at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 312 as multirace. The school also had 1 student who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 4 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 290 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Before sending an application to any college or university, the financial component should be taken into account. Here are some important information on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute costs that most students encounter at this school.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some facts that can be useful if you were curious about Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute estimated tuition costs.
As a full-time domestic student, you were required to pay tuition of $60,360 in 2023. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private institution, so tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Fees per academic year required of full-time students came to a total of $1,524 in 2023.
Books and Supplies
When you try to estimate the cost of attendance for a college or university, you need to think about the cost of books and supplies you're going to need. The estimated price of books and supplies for a full-time student of this school is $2,380.
Boarding
Before you apply to a college or university, you should, among other things, think about the price of a dorm room and cafeteria meals. What is the typical amount colleges and universities charge for lodging and meals?
In 2023, room and board cost at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute amounted to $17,530 a year. The cost of a dorm room only at this school in 2023 stood at $9,460 for one academic year.
| Tuition | $ 60,360 |
| Room and Board | $ 17,530 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 2,380 |
| Total Expense | $ 80,270 |
Financial Aid
Grants, loans, scholarships, work-study programs: these are all different types of financial aid available to students. Check out some recent data to get the information about need-based and non-need-based monetary aid available at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
The most recent figures show that financial help was given to 1,473 freshmen. Students of this school received an average of $49,237 in financial help.
Need-based
Financial aid that a student can receive if they are determined to have financial need and meet other eligibility requirements is known as need-based aid.
There were 3,327 students who acquired need-based financial aid of any kind. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute isn't available to international students. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need ended up being 3,332. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution summed up to $9,042,049, and state $2,190,395. The students of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $140,868,492, and external in the amount of $6,460,950.
$28,970
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based aid is any type of financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid. The most popular forms of non-need-based financial aid for students are loans and grants, like Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
Institutional non-need-based scholarships or grants were given to 3,283 students overall (including freshmen) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2023. 1,468 full-time freshmen were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid. The total dollar amount of federal non-need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the studens at this school was $9,042,049 while the state aid is $3,504,305. The total amount of non-need-based institutional scholarships/grants was $54,073,043. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $1,095,631 USD.
Open Applications
Find open programs by choosing your preferred academic interest from the list below, and select your desired term start. Get started with your application process and find more information using the Apply button.
Majors
Faculty
12:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty or student-to-professor ratio is the number of students compared to the number of professors at a school.
According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was 12:1: that means 12 students per one teacher, which is considered a good ratio. According to the most recent information, there are 506 teachers at this school. Out of that number, there were 359 men and 147 women.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Not everything at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is about learning and grades: campus life is an essential part of your educational experience. Check out some information about students' life at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Student Organizations
A student organization is run by students at a university or a college institution, whose membership typically consists only of current students and/or alumni.
This school has 229 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. That includes sororities and fraternities. The percentage of male students who are members of organizations is 21 and female students 16. The student organization that is most favored by students is pep band, followed by Chinese American Student Association and Indian Student Association. Other popular organizations among the students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are Outing Club and Red Army Spirit Club.
If drama is your thing, there is a club dedicated to acting that you can join. You have a passion for media and communication? Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
At Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, there are many amenities that make life on campus comfortable and safe.
There are phone and alarm devices that can be accessed 24/7 for emergency situations. The school has electronically operated dormitory entrances. There is a round-the-clock security patrol. The transport/escort service operates during late hours.
There is a medical clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Legal Services, Veteran's Affairs and Women's Center are available to the students of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
All in all, campus life at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is rich and vibrant and provides everything most students need.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Career Counselling
At Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. The school has campus employer recruitment for all the students.
Job Placement
Being aware of the projected salary upon finishing your studies can be important in determining if a specific school is in line with your career ambitions.
The average base annual starting salary of the students who were employed within six months of graduation at this school is 68,912 USD.
$68,912
Average Starting Salary After 6 Months of Graduation
FAQ
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Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is located in Troy, NY.
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Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute doesn't offer need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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According to the latest information, you would need to pay about 60,360 USD per academic year for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
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This school has an official test-optional admission policy but makes use of SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, or other standardized test scores in admission decisions for the candidates who choose to submit them.
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The most recent data indicate that the acceptance rate for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 64%.
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According to the latest information, the freshman retention rate for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 89%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.