Troy, NY
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private mid-sized school in Troy, NY, enrolling about 5,714 undergraduates. Admissions are not highly selective, admitting a majority of applicants here -- roughly 63% of applicants get in. Its highest-earning reported major is Computer Science (Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services), where graduates report median earnings of $141,528/year four years out. Students are required to live on campus.
Admissions
Test scores for the Fall 2025 entering class come from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's own 2025-26 Common Data Set: 53% submitted SAT scores, 13% submitted ACT scores.
Application deadlines for Fall 2027 entry
- Early Decision I: Nov 1, 2026
- Early Action: Dec 1, 2026
- Early Decision II: Jan 6, 2027
- Regular Decision: Jan 15, 2027
Confirm on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's own admissions site before you apply.
Cost & outcomes
From the US Dept of Education College Scorecard, most recent year reported. Not every school reports every field. Tuition & fees are the sticker price for a full-time first-year undergrad, before financial aid, and don't include room and board.
Where do you stand against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's numbers?
Check your chances hereHow Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute weighs your application
From Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's own Common Data Set, 2025-26, Section C7 -- not a generic admissions checklist. What is a Common Data Set?
See full profile -- financial aid, campus life, and what Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute weighs in your application
Paying it back
"Still growing" means a borrower's payments aren't yet covering interest 3 years into repayment -- not a default rate. A high number here can mean real repayment difficulty, or just a lot of grads who deferred for graduate school, so read it alongside the school's typical outcomes above.
Majors & earnings
Median earnings 4 years after graduation, by major, from the US Dept of Education. Only shown where the school reports a real figure for that major -- most schools don't report every major they offer, especially smaller programs.
Campus life
Room and board are shown separately from the cost of attendance above -- that total already includes them alongside tuition and fees, this just breaks out the living-cost portion.
What matters in your application
From this school's own reporting to the US Dept of Education on what it formally requires, considers, or doesn't use when reviewing applications.
Frequently asked questions
What does Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute look for in applicants?
Per Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's own Common Data Set (Section C7), it rates rigor of secondary school record, class rank, academic GPA as "very important" in admissions decisions -- its own stated top factors, not a generic guess.
What is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's acceptance rate?
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY admits approximately 63% of applicants, based on the US Dept of Education's most recently reported figures.
What SAT score do I need for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
Per Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1380–1500 on the SAT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
What ACT score do I need for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
Per Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 31–34 on the ACT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
How much does Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute cost?
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's total cost of attendance is reported at $82,404 per year, including tuition, fees, and room and board.
When is the application deadline for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 1, 2026; Early Action Dec 1, 2026; Early Decision II Jan 6, 2027; Regular Decision Jan 15, 2027, per its own published admissions calendar.
Does Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute require students to live on campus?
Yes -- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute requires students to live in on-campus housing.
Related reading
Similar colleges in NY
The New School
New York, NY · 63% admit rate
Dominican University New York
Orangeburg, NY · 63% admit rate
Farmingdale State College
Farmingdale, NY · 63% admit rate
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Syracuse, NY · 63% admit rate
Hobart William Smith Colleges
Geneva, NY · 64% admit rate
St. Francis College
Brooklyn, NY
Comparing Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute against another school?
Open the comparison view