Troy, NY · Private · 5,714 undergraduates · urban
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Moderately selective
RPI now structures undergraduate experiential learning through a required two-part RPI Experience rather than the former one-size-fits-all Arch model.
Institutional profile
Highly regarded Exceptional in career outcomes, and solid in academic standing.- Admission
- 58.5% admitted
- Price by income
- Varies across five income ranges
- Completion
- 85%
16,283 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$102,051 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute apart
Academic design
Students complete an Exploration Semester focused on preparation and a Discovery Semester built around an approved experiential-learning activity before graduation.
Campus pattern
The compact Troy campus climbs a hillside above the Hudson River, with downtown Troy reachable below but most undergraduate life concentrated uphill.
A signature opportunity
The RPI Experience requires both preparation and a substantive experiential semester while allowing more flexibility than the former Arch structure.
Can I get in?
58.5% admitted
Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.
Recent applicant pool
16,283About 58 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 57% submitted an SAT, and 13% submitted an ACT. The ACT range comes from a small share of admitted students and does not describe the full class.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Students complete an Exploration Semester focused on preparation and a Discovery Semester built around an approved experiential-learning activity before graduation.
Make institutional fit specific
RPI now structures undergraduate experiential learning through a required two-part RPI Experience rather than the former one-size-fits-all Arch model.
Use the application route carefully
Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.
Fee waiver: accepted
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
ArchitectureAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
College funding
Scholarships and financial aid
Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute publishes four merit awards, the largest reaching full tuition or more. All of them renew past the first year.
Open across the university · Merit · Guaranteed at a stated threshold · Renews each year · Has a dated deadline
Open across the university · Merit · Renews
Open across the university · Merit · Renews
Open across the university · Merit · Renews
In the season card
These four awards, by name
What each one is called, what it pays, what it asks of you, and the date one of them closes - which is usually earlier than the application for admission.
- The name of each award
- What it pays
- The grades and scores it asks for
- The deadline
- What to send, and where
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Computer Science
Admits separately
Mechanical Engineering
Admits separately
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering
Admits separately
Mathematics
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
Admits separately
What is campus life like?
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute beyond the classroom
The compact Troy campus climbs a hillside above the Hudson River, with downtown Troy reachable below but most undergraduate life concentrated uphill.
A defining academic feature
Students complete an Exploration Semester focused on preparation and a Discovery Semester built around an approved experiential-learning activity before graduation.
What shapes an ordinary week
The compact Troy campus climbs a hillside above the Hudson River, with downtown Troy reachable below but most undergraduate life concentrated uphill.
A reason to look closer
The RPI Experience requires both preparation and a substantive experiential semester while allowing more flexibility than the former Arch structure.