Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- 4 Year
- TROY, NY
CollegeGrad School
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- 4 Year
- TROY, NY
- Rating 3.57 out of 5 1,041 reviews
COVID-19 Update for Prospective Students and Families:
In lieu of on-campus visits, we are currently offering daily general admissions information session webinars, and offer a virtual campus tour experience. Please check our website for information on when and how in-person visits will resume.
Report Card
- Academicsgrade A+
- Valuegrade A+
- Diversitygrade A
- Campusgrade C minus
- Athleticsgrade B
- Party Scenegrade B
- Professorsgrade A+
- Locationgrade C+
- Dormsgrade C+
- Campus Foodgrade C+
- Student Lifegrade B
- Safetygrade B minus
editorial
About
Athletic Division
NCAA Division III (with football)
Athletic Conference
Liberty League
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rankings
Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.
RPI Admissions
Acceptance Rate
47%
Application Deadline
January 15
SAT Range
1290-1490
ACT Range
28-34
Application Fee
$70
SAT/ACT
Considered but not required
High School GPA
Required
Early Decision/Early Action
Yes
Application Website
Students also applied to ...
- grade A minus
- grade B+
- grade A+
- grade B+
- grade A+
- grade A minus
Will You Get In?
Will You Get Into RPI?
Test Scores and High School GPA for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute See Other Colleges
Cost
Net Price
$41,006 / year
National
$15,523Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Average Total Aid Awarded
$30,992 / year
National
$7,535Students Receiving Financial Aid
84%
Scholarship
Academics
Professors
grade A+
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
12:1
Evening Degree Programs
No
74%
of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes. 58 responses74%
of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want. 68 responses40%
of students agree that the workload is easy to manage. 68 responsesMajors
Most Popular Majors
- Computer Science197 Graduates
- Mechanical Engineering191 Graduates
- Chemical Engineering115 Graduates
- Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering85 Graduates
- Electrical Engineering83 Graduates
- Aerospace Engineering77 Graduates
- Business76 Graduates
- Computer Systems Technician72 Graduates
- Architecture61 Graduates
- Civil Engineering52 Graduates
Students
Full-Time Enrollment
6,218 Undergrads
Part-Time Undergrads
23
Undergrads Over 25
1%
Pell Grant
17%
Varsity Athletes
11%
Campus Life
Freshmen Live On-Campus
100%
Poll
51%
of students say that Greek life is average, and no one will treat you differently if you don't join. 80 responsesPoll
69%
of students say varsity sporting events are attended, but not a huge part of campus life. 91 responsesAfter College
Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
$82,000 / year
National
$33,028Graduation Rate
85%
National
49%Employed 2 Years After Graduation
95%
National
83%93%
of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation. 45 responsesSimilar Colleges
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Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Reviews
Rating 3.57 out of 5 1,041 reviews
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I can't imagine another other school giving me the education, experiences, and opportunities that RPI has. The professors have so much knowledge and really push students to learn, rather than just pass. I was able to get involved in Greek life, student government, and a few professional groups. It's really easy to find someplace to fit in because RPI has a wide spectrum of people. I was always much further ahead in job/internship searching than anyone else I knew in my major at other schools.
On-campus life could use a bit of a housing update but RPI's been updating one building at a time for the past few years and dining has gotten exponentially better. Parties are not what they used to be but if you look hard enough, you'll find them. Troy has also improved a ton over the past few years! There are so many great small businesses and food options.
Definitely be prepared to push yourself but it'll be worth it.
On-campus life could use a bit of a housing update but RPI's been updating one building at a time for the past few years and dining has gotten exponentially better. Parties are not what they used to be but if you look hard enough, you'll find them. Troy has also improved a ton over the past few years! There are so many great small businesses and food options.
Definitely be prepared to push yourself but it'll be worth it.
While a lot of people have negative things to say about RPI, I'm loving my time here. The campus is beautiful- especially in the fall when all the leaves change color. There's plenty of old ivy-covered building here, great places to eat in downtown Troy, and good access to nature preserves and hiking trails. Upstate New York is definitely a great region, and whether you like rural or urban areas you have the Adirondack mountains to the north and the city of Albany (with plenty of malls and restaurants) just south. Academics here are extremely rigorous, so RPI has a good reputation among employers for producing top notch graduates. While the humanities programs are lacking, there are still excellent programs in economics and cognitive science, as well as opportunities to study history, writing, and linguistics. Also, the party scene is surprisingly decent with plenty of frats and house parties if you know the right people.
I liken RPI to academic boot camp...there is an overall pride in the administration for being very difficult graders. This is excellent for teaching you to grind through adversity and serves you well in the workforce, however it is terrible if you plan on applying to grad school!
RPI is like MIT-light in the fact that it's a research institution and the administration only cares about the professors and grad students who get them big grants and notoriety. This results in an overall poor undergraduate experience however there are tons of opportunities to participate in undergraduate research which is a fantastic resume builder.
Overall, RPI is a great school for the very serious student looking for a career the tech world. If this does not describe you, you would be better off going someplace else!
RPI is like MIT-light in the fact that it's a research institution and the administration only cares about the professors and grad students who get them big grants and notoriety. This results in an overall poor undergraduate experience however there are tons of opportunities to participate in undergraduate research which is a fantastic resume builder.
Overall, RPI is a great school for the very serious student looking for a career the tech world. If this does not describe you, you would be better off going someplace else!