Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Private nonprofit four-year university in Troy, NY that costs an average of $32,758 a year after financial aid, admits 63% of applicants and graduates 80% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$32,758
Acceptance rate
63%
Graduation rate
80%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$113,011
Private nonprofitSmall city5,714 undergraduates
Cost of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $85,291 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $66,032 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $18,560 |
| Books and supplies | $1,380 |
| Average net price after aid | $32,758 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $25,140 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $25,313 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $31,222 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $33,659 |
| $110,001+ | $35,346 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships. Get your own estimate with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | 63% |
|---|---|
| Average SAT | 1,456 |
| SAT reading (25th–75th percentile) | 670–740 |
| SAT math (25th–75th percentile) | 705–770 |
| ACT composite (25th–75th percentile) | 30–34 |
| Test scores | Considered but not required |
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 80% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 91% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $89,223 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $113,011 |
| Rank in New York (earnings) | 5th of 140 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $24,250 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $276 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 22% |
| Students with federal loans | 52% |
Majors and programs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (45)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 487 | $110,300 | $22,375 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 58 | $101,485 | $20,500 |
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians | 115 | $90,346 | $22,125 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 137 | $84,742 | $21,094 |
| Industrial Engineering | 48 | $83,823 | $19,718 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 209 | $82,409 | $25,250 |
| Chemical Engineering | 109 | $81,536 | $25,000 |
| Mathematics | 129 | $81,465 | $19,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 308 | $79,755 | $23,250 |
| Materials Engineering | 29 | $79,144 | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 8 | $76,523 | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 140 | $75,585 | $24,125 |
| Civil Engineering | 103 | $74,148 | $26,000 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 118 | $69,404 | $20,750 |
| Architecture | 108 | $58,771 | $31,000 |
| Physics | 79 | $58,485 | $23,250 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 40 | $55,598 | $26,000 |
| Biology | 45 | $48,714 | $21,500 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 73 | $34,202 | $25,500 |
| Visual and Performing Arts | 11 | $26,970 | $26,000 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 2 | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 13 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 32 | — | — |
| Cognitive Science | 17 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 10 | — | — |
| Data Analytics | — | — | — |
| Economics | 16 | — | $19,500 |
| Engineering Physics | — | — | — |
| Engineering Science | — | — | — |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 24 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 3 | — | — |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | 29 | — | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 21 | — | — |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies | — | — | — |
| Music | 3 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 10 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 11 | — | — |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | — | — | — |
| Nuclear Engineering | 34 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 5 | — | — |
| Psychology | 24 | — | $21,750 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 3 | — | — |
| Science, Technology and Society | 9 | — | — |
| Social Sciences | — | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | 6 | — | — |
Master's degree programs (47)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 55 | $152,362 | — |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 45 | $103,214 | $20,500 |
| Systems Engineering | 29 | $97,256 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 53 | $96,597 | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 61 | $94,834 | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 173 | $91,698 | $20,500 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 31 | $87,651 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | — | $82,438 | — |
| Civil Engineering | 36 | $81,191 | — |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 13 | — | — |
| Architecture | 7 | — | — |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 4 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 6 | — | — |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 2 | — | — |
| Biology | 2 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 18 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 3 | — | — |
| Cognitive Science | 11 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 3 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 42 | — | — |
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians | 13 | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | 12 | — | — |
| Economics | 3 | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 16 | — | — |
| Engineering Physics | — | — | — |
| Engineering Science | 5 | — | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | — | — | — |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 11 | — | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | — | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | — | — | — |
| Human Computer Interaction | — | — | — |
| Industrial Engineering | 2 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | 13 | — | — |
| Mathematics | — | — | — |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies | — | — | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | — | — | — |
| Natural Sciences | — | — | — |
| Nuclear Engineering | 10 | — | — |
| Operations Research | — | — | — |
| Philosophy | — | — | — |
| Physics | 9 | — | — |
| Psychology | — | — | — |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | — | — | — |
| Science, Technology and Society | 3 | — | — |
| Social Sciences | — | — | — |
| Social Sciences, Other | — | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts | 1 | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (36)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 14 | — | — |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 8 | — | — |
| Architecture | — | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 4 | — | — |
| Biology | 6 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 23 | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | — | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 27 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 13 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 7 | — | — |
| Cognitive Science | 10 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 2 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | — | — | — |
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians | 1 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 22 | — | — |
| Economics | — | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 19 | — | — |
| Engineering | — | — | — |
| Engineering Mechanics | — | — | — |
| Engineering Physics | — | — | — |
| Engineering Science | — | — | — |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | — | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 1 | — | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 8 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | 15 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 15 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 27 | — | — |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies | 1 | — | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | — | — | — |
| Nuclear Engineering | 9 | — | — |
| Physics | 13 | — | — |
| Science, Technology and Society | 4 | — | — |
| Social Sciences | — | — | — |
| Social Sciences, Other | — | — | — |
| Systems Engineering | 4 | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts | 6 | — | — |
Graduate certificate programs (6)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 30 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 9 | — | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 1 | — | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 27 | — | — |
| Manufacturing Engineering | 10 | — | — |
| Systems Engineering | 5 | — | — |
Similar colleges in New York
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercy University | Dobbs Ferry | $15,093 | 86% | $57,532 |
| Long Island University | Brookville | $23,862 | 86% | $65,934 |
| Adelphi University | Garden City | $26,646 | 66% | $80,969 |
| Marist University | Poughkeepsie | $42,789 | 57% | $84,453 |
| University of Rochester | Rochester | $34,347 | 40% | $88,358 |
| Hofstra University | Hempstead | $30,647 | 68% | $76,540 |
| The New School | New York | $48,163 | 63% | $64,471 |
| Pace University | New York | $30,721 | 76% | $77,411 |
About Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
| Type | Private nonprofit four-year university |
|---|---|
| Location | Troy, NY |
| Setting | Small city |
| Undergraduates | 5,714 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 14 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
| Website | rpi.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
What is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's acceptance rate?
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admits 63% of applicants. Admitted students average 1,456 on the SAT.
How much does Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $85,291 a year (tuition and fees: $66,032). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $32,758 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $25,140.
How much do Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $113,011 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 5th of 140 similar colleges in New York. The best-paid bachelor's program is computer science ($110,300 a year after graduation).
What is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's graduation rate?
80% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 91% of first-year students return for a second year.