Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private nonprofit 4-year college in Troy, New York with 5,714 undergraduates. It admits 64% of applicants, costs an average of $32,758 a year after grants and graduates 80% of its students.

Figures from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, released October 15, 2026. What each number covers.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute acceptance rate and admissions

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admitted 64% of applicants for fall 2024. The median acceptance rate at 4-year colleges is 77%.

Test scores: Considered but not required (as reported for fall 2024 admission). That means you can apply without SAT or ACT scores. Check the admissions office for the current policy.

The colored band is the middle 50% of enrolled students in fall 2024 (reading and writing 670 to 740, math 705 to 770). The tick marks the typical 4-year college. Check how your scores fit.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute application deadlines 2026-27

Next deadline: Early action, Dec 1, 2026. Application fee through the Common App: free for U.S. applicants. Confirm dates on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s admissions page; see every college on the deadline calendar.

Source: Common App 2026-27 first-year deadlines, fees and requirements grid, updated Sep 25, 2026.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute tuition, cost and net price

Students who get federal aid pay an average of $32,758 a year after grants and scholarships, $52,533 less than the full cost of attendance.

What families pay, by income

Average yearly cost after grants for aided first-time students, by family income (2024-25):

Your own price depends on your family's full situation. Run Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's net price calculator for a personal estimate, or make a "what it costs us" card.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduation rate, earnings and debt

• 80% of first-time, full-time students finished within six years (students who started in 2019).
• Former students earned a median of $113,011 a year, 10 years after they started (students who received federal aid and were working).
• Students who completed left with a median of $24,250 in federal student loans.

Earnings compared

Debt compared

Median debt is 21% of median earnings 10 years after entry. Many advisers suggest keeping total student debt below one year of expected pay. See the monthly payment.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute majors and what graduates earn

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute awarded bachelor's degrees in 39 fields recently. The best-paid graduates four years out came from computer science ($141,528).

Four-year earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Fields with few graduates have no published earnings.

Graduate programs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

55 graduate programs awarded degrees recently. Largest first.

Students and location

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More: all colleges in New York · colleges in Troy · Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on the College Scorecard

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, data release of October 15, 2026. What each figure means and the year it covers.