Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, New York · Private · 5,714 undergraduates · rpi.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
67%
of 14,356 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1380 to 1500
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$93,670Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
67% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$93,670
a year in 2027-28, from a $93,670 sticker price
What to do with your 1450
Send your score
About 37% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1310, and yours is above it.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
Source: Fall 2027 Admission Cycle Test-Optional FAQ | Undergraduate Admissions · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Decision · November 1, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Nov1Other deadline · November 1, 2026
- Dec1Early Action · December 1, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Jan6Early Decision II · January 6, 2027A second binding round, after Early Decision.
- Jan15Regular Decision · January 15, 2027The standard deadline.
Source: Apply | Undergraduate Admissions
Who gets in
67%
of applicants were admitted: 9,655 of 14,356 for fall 2025.
Early Action
Not binding. Apply by 12/1, hear by 1/29.
Early Decision
Binding. 69% of early applicants were admitted.
Wait list
1,008 students were offered a spot; 6 were later admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 53% of them sent SAT scores and 13% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1380 to 1500
Reading and Writing 680 to 750
Math 690 to 770
ACT composite 31 to 34
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160070%
- 1200 to 139928%
- 1000 to 11992%
- 800 to 9990%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.93
- 4.040%
- 3.75 to 3.9940%
- 3.50 to 3.7416%
- 3.25 to 3.493%
- 3.00 to 3.241%
- 2.50 to 2.990%
- Below 2.500%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$93,670
a year
- Tuition$68,950
- Fees$1,740
- Food and housing$19,620
- Books and supplies$1,470
- Transportation and other$1,890
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute published $90,076 for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$25,140
- $30,001 to $48,000$25,313
- $48,001 to $75,000$31,222
- $75,001 to $110,000$33,659
- Over $110,000$35,346
Financial aid
63%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$9,303
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
38%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $36,385 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Required. It's a second, more detailed aid form some colleges use for their own grants.
- Aid priority date: 12/1
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
- Aid deadline: 2/1
- The last day to send aid forms.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
National Merit Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Scholarship (NMSC college-sponsored)
National Merit
Deadline: Name this college your first choice with NMSC.
Details
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
37 of 37
Earn credit with a score of 3
None
You need a 4 or 5 for credit here.
A 3-credit course is worth
about $6,900Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 4 | 4 | ARTS-1220, Fundamentals of 2-D Design |
| 3-D Art and Design | 4 | 4 | ARTS-2210, Sculpture I |
| African American Studies | 4 | 4 | STSO-1000, STSO Elective |
| Art History | 4 | 4 | ARTS 1050 |
| Biology | 4 | 4 | BIOL-1010, BIOL-1015 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 | MATH 1010 Calculus I |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 8 | MATH 1010 Calculus I and MATH 1020 Calculus II |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 4 | 4 | MATH 1010 Calculus I |
| Chemistry | 4 | 8 | CHEM-1100, Chemistry I, and CHEM-1200, Chemistry II |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | LANG 2410, Chinese II |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 4 | STSO-1000 |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 4 | CSCI 1100 |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 4 | CSCI-1000 Computer Science Elective |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 4 | CSCI 1000 |
| Drawing | 4 | 4 | ARTS-1200, Basic Drawing |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 4 | WRIT 1000 |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 4 | WRIT 1000 |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 4 | IENV 1000 |
| European History | 4 | 4 | STSO 1000 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | LANG 1000 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | LANG 1000 |
| Human Geography | 4 | 4 | STSO 1000 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | LANG 1000 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | LANG 1000 |
| Latin | 4 | 4 | LANG 1000 |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 4 | ECON 1000 |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 8 | ECON 1000 and ECON 1200. Macroeconomics and Microeconomics. Min score of 4 on both tests. |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 4 | ECON 1000 |
| Music Theory | 4 | 4 | ARTS 1380 |
| Physics 1 | 4 | 4 | PHYS 1100. Algebra-based examination and have received credit for Calculus I (AP credit, transfer credit, or have completed Rensselaer credit) |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 4 | PHYS 1200 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 4 | PHYS 1100 |
| Psychology | 4 | 4 | PSYC 1200 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | LANG 1000 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 4 | LANG 1000 |
| Statistics | 4 | 4 | MGMT-2100 |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | 4 | STSO 1000 |
| United States History | 4 | 4 | STSO 1000 |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 4 | STSO 1000 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
80%
Come back for a second year
91%
Typical earnings
$113,011
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute$101,727
- All colleges$97,556
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 23 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute logo is a trademark of the college.