More selective than 64% of New York colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $82,404. College Scorecard.
Higher than 92% of New York colleges we cover and 92% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 96% of New York colleges we cover and 98% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute acceptance rate & admissions
Of 16,283 applicants, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admitted 9,517 and 1,552 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1375–1510 on the SAT or 30–34 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: New York residents may qualify for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP): up to $5,665 a year toward tuition at eligible New York colleges, for dependent students with New York net taxable family income up to $125,000. Not included in the prices above. New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC)
What Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute took 4.2 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in New York. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $24,078 | $100,164 | 1.5 years |
| $30–48k | $26,289 | $109,362 | 1.6 years |
| $48–75k | $28,212 | $117,362 | 1.7 years |
| $75–110k | $36,230 | $150,717 | 2.2 years |
| $110k+ | $42,541 | $176,971 | 2.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (71% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($102,051) minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $67,418 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute majors, earnings & careers
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute offers 45 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Engineering · 15
- Science & Math · 11
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 4
- Arts & Design · 3
- Business & Finance · 3
- Humanities & Languages · 3
- Technology & Computing · 3
- Communications & Media · 2
- Health & Medicine · 1
Highest-earning majors at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $141,528 | $23,250 |
| Computer Engineering Technologies / Technicians | $125,531 | $23,582 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $115,100 | $27,000 |
| Mathematics | $105,768 | $24,250 |
| Electrical Engineering | $104,596 | $24,625 |
| Biomedical Engineering | $103,306 | $26,000 |
| Business Administration | $99,713 | $26,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | $98,679 | $25,332 |
Quick list of all 45 majors
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering$94,750
- Architectural Sciences and Technology—
- Architecture$75,551
- Biochemistry—
- Biology—
- Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology—
- Biomedical Engineering$103,306
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Business Administration$99,713
- Chemical Engineering$98,679
- Chemistry—
- Civil Engineering$86,794
- Cognitive Science—
- Communications—
- Computer and Information Sciences$115,100
- Computer Engineering Technologies / Technicians$125,531
- Computer Science$141,528
- Data Analytics—
- Economics—
- Electrical Engineering$104,596
- Engineering Physics—
- Engineering Science—
- Environmental Engineering—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$87,358
- Industrial Engineering$98,509
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- Legal Studies / Paralegal—
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Materials Engineering$82,947
- Mathematics$105,768
- Mechanical Engineering$92,952
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$83,958
- Music—
- Neuroscience—
- Nuclear Engineering$87,239
- Philosophy—
- Physics$81,840
- Pre-Med / Pre-Health—
- Psychology—
- Science, Technology and Society—
- Social Sciences—
- Sustainability Studies—
- Visual and Performing Arts—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Computer Science → Software developer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Mechanical Engineering → Mechanical engineer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 11.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Albany
Overall prices in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,711. Housing costs 3% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 42 inches of rain a year, 59 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Rensselaer County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Rensselaer County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with similar schools
Similar private colleges in New York by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 63% | $36,228 | 84% | $102,051 | This school |
| Marist University | 57% | $41,544 | 80% | $77,819 | |
| The New School | 63% | $58,741 | 69% | $52,901 | |
| Adelphi University | 66% | $30,783 | 67% | $75,482 | |
| Ithaca College | 69% | $33,926 | 76% | $63,548 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute would cost you $5,316 less per year than Marist University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$16,331).
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute gives aided families $20,146 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, New York resident | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Marist University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $64,081 | $47,750 | +$16,331 |
| Books & supplies | $1,310 | $2,425 | −$1,115 |
| Housing & meals | $17,530 | $17,710 | −$180 |
| Personal & travel | $1,680 | $2,135 | −$455 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,197 | −$2,446 | +$249 |
| Sticker price | $82,404 | $67,574 | +$14,830 |
| Average grants | −$46,176 | −$26,030 | −$20,146 |
| You pay | $36,228 | $41,544 | −$5,316 |
“+” means Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
What is the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute acceptance rate?
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute accepts 63% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 9,517 of 16,283 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1375–1510 on the SAT or 30–34 on the ACT.
How much does Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $82,404 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $36,228 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $24,078 and families earning $110k+ pay $42,541.
How much do Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates earn?
Former Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students earn a median $102,051 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduation rate?
84% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 91% return for their second year.
How long does a Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute costs about $117,362 after grants ($28,212 a year for 4.2 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $102,051 ten years after starting, $67,418 more than high school graduates in New York ($34,633), so the cost is repaid in 1.7 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/rensselaer-polytechnic-institute (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).