Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY
57%
Acceptance Rate
$60,551
Avg Cost (In-State)
$60,551
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
86%
Graduation Rate
7,762
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
January 15
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Decision I) and December 15 (Early Decision II)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
1
Application Fee
$75
Interview
Not required
Essays: Common App personal essay required; supplemental essay optional but recommended
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$83,054
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$102,051
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
83%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering. | $73,833 | $92,952 | 251 |
| Computer Science. | $104,943 | $141,528 | 219 |
| Chemical Engineering. | $78,263 | $98,679 | 130 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering. | $73,213 | $94,750 | 89 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering. | $74,427 | $103,306 | 81 |
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians. | $94,722 | $125,531 | 70 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering. | $83,412 | $104,596 | 70 |
| Civil Engineering. | $71,790 | $86,794 | 55 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
NY Excelsior Scholarship
~$20k valueExcelsior covers tuition at SUNY or CUNY for full-time NY residents with family income under $125,000, after other aid is applied.
Who it helps: NY residents attending SUNY or CUNY full-time with family income $80k-$125k (the bracket above TAP eligibility).
How to use: Apply on HESC.ny.gov. File FAFSA + TAP. Renewable annually.
Source ↗New York Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)
~$18k valueNY TAP pays up to ~$5,665/year at SUNY, CUNY, or eligible private NY institutions for residents under ~$80k family income.
Who it helps: NY residents attending SUNY, CUNY, or eligible NY private institutions, with family income under ~$80k.
How to use: File FAFSA + NY State HESC TAP application as part of FAFSA. Done annually.
Source ↗Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Medal
$25,000+/year (renewable, 4 years)
universityHS junior with STEM accomplishment nominated by their school for RPI Medal; converts to scholarship if enrolling at RPI.
Deadline: Nominated by HS in junior year
Learn more ↗RPI Rensselaer Leadership Award
$15,000-$20,000/year
universityTop RPI incoming freshmen with academic merit + leadership.
Deadline: January 15
Learn more ↗Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Medal for FIRST + Excellence
$30,000-$60,000/year (renewable) at RPI for FIRST participants who enroll
universityFIRST Robotics alumni who enroll at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; awarded as the RPI Medal recognizing scholastic achievement + scientific/technical promise; one of the most generous FIRST-tied institutional scholarships.
Deadline: Aligned with RPI admission
Learn more ↗Vassar College Need-Met Aid
100% need met; loans capped
universityAll admitted Vassar students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗NY Aid for Part-Time Study (APTS)
Up to $2,000/year
stateNY residents enrolled part-time at SUNY/CUNY or eligible NY privates.
Deadline: Through school aid office
Learn more ↗NY Enhanced Tuition Awards
Up to $6,000/year (at private NY colleges)
stateNY residents at participating NY private colleges with family income under $125,000.
Deadline: FAFSA + TAP + ETA application
Learn more ↗NY State Aid to Native Americans
Up to $2,000/year
stateMembers of a NY State tribe attending NY postsecondary institution.
Deadline: July 15
Learn more ↗NY State STEM Incentive Program
Full SUNY/CUNY tuition
stateNY HS grads in top 10% of class committing to STEM major and 5-year NY work commitment.
Deadline: August 31
Learn more ↗SUNY Binghamton Presidential Scholarship
Up to $5,000/year
universityTop Binghamton incoming freshmen via competitive process.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 57% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Early Decision I
70%
acceptance
Early Decision II
55%
acceptance
Regular Decision
50%
acceptance
Overall ~57%.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
17.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
14.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
33.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
12.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
16.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
93.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
85.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Important
Visiting, attending info sessions and opening admissions emails meaningfully helps your chances. Track your touchpoints.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
New York, NY
57.1% acceptance
Both admit around 57% of applicants, with 12k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
CUNY Lehman College
Bronx, NY
56.6% acceptance
Both admit around 57% of applicants, with 11k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR
56.5% acceptance
Both admit around 57% of applicants, with 10k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
CUNY City College
New York, NY
60% acceptance
Similar selectivity (60% vs 57%) but out-of-state cost runs $15k — meaningfully less than $61k.
CUNY Hunter College
New York, NY
53.8% acceptance
Similar selectivity (54% vs 57%) but out-of-state cost runs $15k — meaningfully less than $61k.
CUNY Lehman College
Bronx, NY
56.6% acceptance
Similar selectivity (57% vs 57%) but out-of-state cost runs $15k — meaningfully less than $61k.
Reaches above this college
Binghamton University
Vestal, NY
38.6% acceptance
Same s setting in the Northeast, but more selective (39% vs 57%) — a stretch target if Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is already on your list.
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA
16.4% acceptance
Same s setting in the Northeast, but more selective (16% vs 57%) — a stretch target if Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
Kean University
Union, NJ
75.9% acceptance
Same s setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (76% vs 57%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
West Chester, PA
78.4% acceptance
Same s setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (78% vs 57%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Lowell, MA
83% acceptance
Same s setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (83% vs 57%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
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