Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

www.rpi.edu/

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2020 Undergraduate Tuition

$55,600

2.96% growth from 2019

2020 Average Net Price

$40,661

After Financial Aid

2018 Student Loan

1.39%

Default Rate

2020 Acceptance Rate

57.3%

16,661 Applicants

2020 Enrolled Students

7,501

98.7% Full-Time

2020 Graduation Rate

86.9%

1,156 Graduates

About

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a higher education institution located in Rensselaer County, NY. In 2020, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute were Computer Science (255 degrees awarded), Mechanical Engineering (233 degrees), and Chemical Engineering (109 degrees).

In 2020, 2,093 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. 33.2% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 66.8% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (1,045 degrees), 5.05 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (207 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is $55,600, which is $27,037 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is $55,600, which is $27,037 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $40,661.

In 2020, 87% of undergraduate students attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 47% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$55,600

2020 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2020, the cost of tuition at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was $55,600. The cost of tuition at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is $27,037 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

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

Average Net Price

$40,661

2020 Value

0.841%

1 Year Growth

In 2020 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $40,661. Between 2019 and 2020, the average net price of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute grew by 0.841%.

This chart compares the average net price of Rensselaer 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

$15,580

Room and Board

$1,250

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was of $15,580 in 2020. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,250. The cost of room and board increased by 2.1% between 2019 and 2020. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

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

Financial Aid by Income Level

87%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

47%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

87% of undergraduate students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute received financial aid through grants or loans in 2020. This represents a growth of 3.57% with respect to 2019, when 84% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Rensselaer 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.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

1.39%

2018 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2018 the default rate for borrower's at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was 1.39%, which represents 17 out of the 1221 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute received 16,661 undergraduate applications in 2020, which represents a 10.6% annual decline. Out of those 16,661 applicants, 9,540 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 57.3% acceptance rate.

There were 7,501 students enrolled at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2020, and 67% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has an overall enrollment yield of 15.3%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

57.3%

Acceptance Rate in 2020

9,540

Accepted Out of 16,661

In 2020, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was 57.3% (9,540 admissions from 16,661 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2019, which was 47.4%. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of applicants declined by −10.6%, while admissions grew by 7.98%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

67%

Submission Percentage

985

Scores Submitted

67% of enrolled first-time students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has a total enrollment of 7,501 students. The full-time enrollment at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 7,401 students and the part-time enrollment is 100. This means that 98.7% of students enrolled at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, both undergraduate and graduate, is 43.2% White, 14.9% Asian, 9.65% Hispanic or Latino, 4.48% Two or More Races, 4.25% Black or African American, 0.16% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0133% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (29.8%), followed by White Female (14.1%) and Asian Male (10.3%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Male (26.3%), followed by White Female (13.4%) and Asian Male (4.04%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

98.7%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, both undergraduate and graduate, is 7,501 students. The full-time enrollment at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 7,401 and the part-time enrollment is 100. This means that 98.7% of students enrolled at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are enrolled full-time compared with 76.5% at similar Doctoral Universities.

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

Retention Rate over Time

91%

2020 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 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was 91%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (85%), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute had a retention rate higher than its peers.

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

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

White
3,239
Asian
1,118
Hispanic or Latino
724

The enrolled student population at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 43.2% White, 14.9% Asian, 9.65% Hispanic or Latino, 4.48% Two or More Races, 4.25% Black or African American, 0.16% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0133% 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 50% White, 15% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.69% 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, 224 students (2.99%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2020, 703 fewer women than men received degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is white (1,045 degrees awarded). There were 5.05 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (207 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is Computer Science (255 degrees awarded), followed by Mechanical Engineering (233 degrees) and Chemical Engineering (109 degrees).

The most specialized majors across all degree types at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Engineering (1,014 degrees awarded), Architecture and Related Services (80 degrees), and Math & Statistics (152 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 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are Software developers (854,715 people), Other managers (468,512 people), Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (362,336 people), Civil engineers (261,405 people), and Postsecondary teachers (218,739 people).

The most specialized majors at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are Engineering (1,014 degrees awarded), Architecture and Related Services (80 degrees), Math & Statistics (152 degrees), Physical Sciences (83 degrees), and Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (345 degrees).

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 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are Surgeons, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Physicians, and Derrick, rotary drill, & service unit operators, & roustabouts, oil, gas, & mining

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 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are Computer Systems Design (964,492 people), Architectural, engineering & related services (596,445 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (420,770 people), Construction (328,892 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (262,595 people).

Majors Awarded

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

Most Common

Computer Science
255 degree-majorss awarded
Mechanical Engineering
233 degree-majorss awarded
Chemical Engineering
109 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was Computer Science with 255 degrees awarded.

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

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

1,398

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2020

695

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2020

In 2020, 1,398 degrees were awarded to men at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, which is 2.01 times more than the number of degrees awarded to females (695).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2020, 244 degrees were awarded to men at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Computer Science, which is 4.69 times more than the 52 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2020, 70 degrees were awarded to women at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Mechanical Engineering, which is 0.335 times less than the 209 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

62%

100% Completion Time

86%

150% Completion Time

In 2020, 62% of students graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 86% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 87% 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.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.4%).

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, 0.692% of graduates (8 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
1,045 degrees awarded
Asian
207 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
176 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is white (1,045 degrees awarded). There were 5.05 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (207 degrees).

1.29% of degree recipients (27 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic

White Male
705 degrees awarded
White Female
340 degrees awarded
Asian Male
135 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is white male (705 degrees awarded). There were 2.07 times more white male recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (340 degrees).

Operations

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has an endowment valued at nearly $740M, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $12.6M (1.71%), compared to the 3.43% average return ($10.5M on $307M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2020, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute had a total salary expenditure of $462M. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute employs 173 Professors, 103 Lecturers, and 76 Associate professors. Most academics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are Male Professors (146), Male Lecturers(70), and Male Associate professors (50).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are: Management, with 157 employees, Business and Financial Operations, with 142 employees, and Service with 141 employees.

Endowment

$740M

2020 Endowment

0.491%

growth from 2019

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has an endowment valued at about $740M, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The endowment of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute grew 0.491% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $434M higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Rensselaer 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.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$60.4M - Federal
$5.43M - State
$0 - Local

As of 2020, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute received $60.4M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $5.43M from state grants and contracts, and $0 from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$178M

2020 Salaries

1.55%

growth from 2019

In 2020, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute paid a median of $178M in salaries, which represents 38.5% of their overall expenditure ($462M) and a 1.55% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 4.45% growth from 2018 and a 4.88% growth from 2017.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 238M (42.6% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$49.3M

Instructional Salaries

414

Number of Employees

In 2020, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute paid a total of $49.3M to 414 employees working as instructors, which represents 27.7% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $70.3M (29.6%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

173 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

157 Employees

In 2020, the most common positions for instructional staff at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute were Professor with 173 employees; Lecturer with 103 employees; and Lecturer with 76 employees.

In 2020, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute were Management with 157 employees; Business and Financial Operations with 142 employees; and Service with 141 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Male Lecturer
Male Associate professor

In 2020, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was Male Professor with 146 employees, Male Lecturer with 70 employees, and Male Associate professor with 50 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.