Worcester Polytechnic Institute

https://www.wpi.edu

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2024 Undergraduate Tuition

$59,700

3% growth from 2023

2024 Average Net Price

$47,372

After Financial Aid

2024 Acceptance Rate

60.2%

12,559 Applicants

2024 Enrolled Students

7,584

84.1% Full-Time

2024 Graduation Rate

89.7%

1,142 Graduates

About

Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a higher education institution located in Worcester County, MA. In 2024, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Worcester Polytechnic Institute were Computer Science (255 degrees awarded), Mechanical Engineering (231 degrees), and Bioengineering & Biomedical Engineering (111 degrees).

In 2024, 2,187 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 34.4% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 65.6% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (1,255 degrees), 5.7 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (220 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is $59,700, which is $27,780 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is $59,700, which is $27,780 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $47,372.

In 2024, 96% of undergraduate students attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 52% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$59,700

2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at Worcester Polytechnic Institute was $59,700. The cost of tuition at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is $27,780 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$47,372

2024 Value

0.893%

1 Year Growth

In 2024 Worcester Polytechnic Institute had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $47,372. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of Worcester Polytechnic Institute grew by 0.893%.

This chart compares the average net price of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$18,072

Room and Board

$1,200

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Worcester Polytechnic Institute was of $18,072 in 2024. The cost of room and board increased by 9.24% between 2023 and 2024.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,200. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

96%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

52%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

96% of undergraduate students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2023, when 96% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Admissions

Worcester Polytechnic Institute received 12,559 undergraduate applications in 2024, which represents a 6.35% annual growth. Out of those 12,559 applicants, 7,555 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 60.2% acceptance rate.

There were 7,584 students enrolled at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2024.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute has an overall enrollment yield of 18.1%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

60.2%

Acceptance Rate in 2024

7,555

Accepted Out of 12,559

In 2024, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute was 60.2% (7,555 admissions from 12,559 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2023, which was 58.5%. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of applicants grew by 6.35%, while admissions grew by 9.37%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

Enrollment

Worcester Polytechnic Institute had a total enrollment of 7,584 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is 6,375 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,209. This means that 84.1% of students enrolled at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, both undergraduate and graduate, is 55.4% White, 10.6% Asian, 7.74% Hispanic or Latino, 3.18% Two or More Races, 2.56% Black or African American, 0.0659% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0264% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (42.5%), followed by White Female (21.5%) and Asian Male (7.41%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Male (14.2%), followed by White Female (9.89%) and Hispanic or Latino Male (2.76%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

84.1%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 7,584 students. The full-time enrollment at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is 6,375 and the part-time enrollment is 1,209. This means that 84.1% of students enrolled at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are enrolled full-time compared with 77.3% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

94%

2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Worcester Polytechnic Institute was 94%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (82%), Worcester Polytechnic Institute had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
4,198 enrolled students
Asian
804 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
587 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is 55.4% White, 10.6% Asian, 7.74% Hispanic or Latino, 3.18% Two or More Races, 2.56% Black or African American, 0.0659% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0264% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 46.2% White, 16.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 10.4% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 393 students (5.18%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2024, 683 fewer women than men received degrees from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is white (1,255 degrees awarded). There were 5.7 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (220 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is Computer Science (255 degrees awarded), followed by Mechanical Engineering (231 degrees) and Bioengineering & Biomedical Engineering (111 degrees).

In 2024, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Engineering (1,262 degrees awarded), Interdisciplinary Studies (198 degrees), and Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (391 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Software developers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are Software developers (1,206,447 people), Other managers (524,048 people), Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (430,462 people), Civil engineers (326,415 people), and Postsecondary teachers (236,463 people).

The most specialized majors at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2024 are Engineering (1,262 degrees awarded), Interdisciplinary Studies (198 degrees), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (391 degrees), Math & Statistics (45 degrees), and Physical Sciences (33 degrees) (as of 2024).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are Surgeons, Podiatrists, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, Physicians, and Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

The most specialized majors at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are Engineering (1,262 degrees awarded), Interdisciplinary Studies (198 degrees), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (391 degrees), Math & Statistics (45 degrees), and Physical Sciences (33 degrees) (as of 2024).

Common Industries by Major

Computer Systems Design

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are Computer Systems Design (1,221,501 people), Architectural, engineering & related services (545,535 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (493,922 people), Elementary & secondary schools (398,744 people), and Construction (388,321 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Most Common (2024)

Computer Science
255 degrees awarded
Mechanical Engineering
231 degrees awarded
Bioengineering & Biomedical Engineering
111 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Worcester Polytechnic Institute was Computer Science with 255 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

1,435

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2024

752

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2024

In 2024, 1,435 degrees were awarded to men at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, which is 1.91 times more than the number of degrees awarded to females (752).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Worcester Polytechnic Institute by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2024, 281 degrees were awarded to men at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Computer Science, which is 4.01 times more than the 70 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2024, 90 degrees were awarded to men at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Bioengineering & Biomedical Engineering, which is 1.53 times more than the 59 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

82%

100% Completion Time

89%

150% Completion Time

In 2024, 82% of students graduating from Worcester Polytechnic Institute completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 89% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 89% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Hispanic or Latino Female

Highest Graduation Rate (95.5%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2024 at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is Female and Hispanic or Latino (95.5% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (75.5%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 7.89% of graduates (90 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
1,255 degrees awarded
Asian
220 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
146 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is white (1,255 degrees awarded). There were 5.7 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (220 degrees).

5.4% of degree recipients (118 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)

White Male
820 degrees awarded
White Male
819 degrees awarded
White Male
818 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is white male (820 degrees awarded). There were 1 times more white male recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (819 degrees).

Operations

Worcester Polytechnic Institute has an endowment valued at nearly $683M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 75.6M (11.1%) compared to the 9.4% average return (23.7M on 252M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2024, Worcester Polytechnic Institute had a total salary expenditure of 361M. Worcester Polytechnic Institute employs 129 Instructors, 128 Professors and 104 Associate professors. Most academics at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are Male Professor (92), Male Instructor (86), and Male Associate professor (70).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are: Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 140 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 125 employees, and Service with 120 employees.

Endowment

$683M

2024 Endowment

8.19%

growth from 2023

Worcester Polytechnic Institute has an endowment valued at about $683M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of Worcester Polytechnic Institute grew 8.19% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $431M higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$162M

2024 Salaries

13.9%

growth from 2023

In 2024, Worcester Polytechnic Institute paid a median of $162M in salaries, which represents 45% of their overall expenditure ($361M) and a 13.9% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 1.86% decline between 2022 and 2023, and a 9.71% growth between 2021 and 2022.

Instructional Salaries

$54.6M

Instructional Salaries

446

Number of Employees

In 2024, Worcester Polytechnic Institute paid a total of $54.6M to 446 employees working as instructors, which represents 33.6% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $4.1M (2.29%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Worcester Polytechnic Institute were Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 140 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 125 employees, and Service with 120 employees.

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