Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY · Private nonprofit · offers Graduate degrees

Small city

63%Acceptance rate

$36,228Average net price / year

84%Graduation rate

$102,051Median earnings 10 yrs after entry

$23,750Median debt at graduation

5,714Undergraduates

Cost

In-state tuition & fees: $64,081
Total cost of attendance: $82,404
Room & board: $18,120
Books & supplies: $1,350
Average net price: $36,228

Net price by family income

$0–30k: $24,078
$30–48k: $26,289
$48–75k: $28,212
$75–110k: $36,230
$110k+: $42,541

Official net price calculator

Admissions

Acceptance rate: 63.5%
Average SAT: 1456
SAT reading (25–75%): 670–740
SAT math (25–75%): 705–770
ACT composite (25–75%): 30–34

Outcomes

Graduation rate: 84%
First-year retention: 91%
Median earnings (6 yrs): $83,054
Median earnings (10 yrs): $102,051
Median debt (graduates): $23,750
3-year loan default rate: 0.0%
Students with Pell grants: 20%
Students with federal loans: 51%

Programs: what graduates earn

29 of 131 programs have published earnings or debt data. Earnings are median salaries of graduates one year after completing the program (or the latest available year).

Bachelor's degree

Program	Graduates	Earnings	Median debt
Computer Science	250	$104,943	$23,233
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians	62	$94,722	$23,582
Computer and Information Sciences, General	35	$85,172	$27,000
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering	69	$83,412	$23,250
Mathematics	75	$80,196	$23,250
Chemical Engineering	61	$78,263	$24,985
Nuclear Engineering	18	$77,014	$19,500
Industrial Engineering	29	$74,787	$22,500
Biomedical/Medical Engineering	65	$74,427	$26,000
Mechanical Engineering	162	$73,833	$24,121
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	117	$73,213	$24,861
Civil Engineering	53	$71,790	$26,250
Materials Engineering	14	$66,927	$23,250
Physics	42	$60,348	$20,270
Architecture	56	$54,334	$31,000
Business Administration, Management and Operations	58	$47,925	$25,000
Design and Applied Arts	34	$36,191	$25,000
Chemistry	22	—	$27,000
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other	4	$76,283	$26,500
Economics	8	$92,037	—
Biology, General	28	$43,460	$25,455
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering	14	$88,236	—
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication	2	$73,497	—

Master's degree

Program	Graduates	Earnings	Median debt
Computer Science	38	$125,338	—
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods	100	$90,498	—
Business Administration, Management and Operations	0	$87,386	—
Mechanical Engineering	21	$85,723	—
Applied Mathematics	28	$76,974	—
Civil Engineering	17	$76,280	—

Students

Undergraduates: 5,714
Graduate students: 1,504
Part-time: 1%
Women / men: 31% / 69%
White: 45%
Hispanic: 11%
Black: 5%
Asian: 22%
International: 7%

Faculty & school

Student–faculty ratio: 14:1
Avg faculty salary: $124,380 / year
Full-time faculty: 89%
Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Website: www.rpi.edu
Also known as: RPI, Rensselaer

Frequently asked questions

What is the acceptance rate at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?

63.5% of applicants were admitted, and admitted students averaged 1456 on the SAT.

How much does Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute cost?

The average net price after grants is $36,228 per year; in-state tuition and fees are $64,081 and the full cost of attendance is $82,404.

How much do Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates earn?

Students who enrolled earn a median of $102,051 ten years later. See the program table above for salaries by major.

What is the graduation rate?

84% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.

Other colleges in Troy

College	Net price	Acceptance	Graduation	Earnings
Hudson Valley Community College Troy, NY · Public · 6,499 students	$8,501	—	35%	$45,460
Russell Sage College Troy, NY · Private nonprofit · 1,244 students	$22,917	53%	56%	$58,316
Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing Troy, NY · Private nonprofit · 129 students	—	100%	50%	$64,383

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.