Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

110 8th St, Troy, NY
4-year
Medium
Urban

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute rankings and awards

Questions and Answers about Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Hadley D.
1 year ago
Where can I find information for the architecture pre requisite courses before I can transfer in as a junior?
Hadley D.
1 year ago
Do transfer students have to live on-campus their first year?
Mahima K.
1 year ago
Does Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have a public database of previously transferred courses that have been accepted?
Mahima K.
1 year ago
What requirements are necessary to participate in SURP?
Mahima K.
1 year ago
What type of assistance does Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute offer to help students secure internships or first jobs?
Mahima K.
1 year ago
Does Rensselaer have a symphony orchestra where I can continue my violin career at the university?
6 / 27 questions shown

Majors offered at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Biggest majors
Computer Science
Mechanical Engineering
Chemical Engineering

Academics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

1330-1500
SAT Score Range
400
1600
Required with application
29-33
ACT Score Range
1
36
Required with application
Student Faculty Ratio
13 to 1
Selectivity
Somewhat Selective (43% Acceptance Rate)
School type
Non-profit Private 4-year institution
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Common careers for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students

Common Careers and Their Average Annual Salary

Senior Software Engineer115k
Senior Mechanical Engineer100k
Software Engineer89k
Project Manager, (Unspecified Type / General)89k
Project Engineer81k
Electrical Engineer77k
Mechanical Engineer70k
Based on 14,609 student responses
72.6kAvg. Early Career Pay
135.2kAvg. Mid-Career Pay
49%in High-Meaning careers
78%in STEM careers

Net price of attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute financial aid

Grants per year
Loans per year

Student reviews of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

by Bold.org students

3.8

5

4

3

2

1

Recommended by

100% of students

Known for

Awesome study spaces and libraries
LGBTQ+ friendly
Great internship and research opportunities
Lots of interesting clubs and activities
Welcoming student body
Michael Miwa
Japanese

5.0

WHAT I LIKED

I liked the community of architecture students, whom I spent endless days and nights working with to explore unheard of design concepts, and I enjoyed being surrounded by a community of mostly engineers who would question or propose the possible reality behind these unheard of concepts.

WHAT I didn’t LIKE

I would have wanted to see a few more opportunities for the architecture curriculum to be integrated with the engineering curriculums, where engineering students engage more with the architecture students.

4.0

WHAT I LIKED

I love the variety of classes you can find - like an Arts class called Biopunk where you use biology labs to do artwork

WHAT I didn’t LIKE

I felt like I was not properly prepared for the difficulty of finding an internship for my Arch semester and that I did not get enough assistance with that, even when I reached out for help.

Irene Amaya
Screenwriting
digital art
Cosmetology
Art + 3 others

3.0

WHAT I LIKED

I have grown an amazing family-like support system during my first year at RPI. I would definitely encourage students to talk to their professors. The chemistry department at RPI are so welcoming and kind! There are many hidden gems at RPI and more I haven't discovered yet. The education is very rigorous, but I'd say it is worth it. There's wonderful events and great resources at the Student Union. I also recommend Argo Tea and the Beanery they are my favorite spots on campus!

WHAT I didn’t LIKE

There can be many cons at RPI, but it comes down to what you make of them. The food is terrible and I usually ended up having to order food at night since all they had after 6 pm were burgers. The mental health resources at RPI are also not the best. Some have had good experiences, but I personally didn't so it's something students need to figure out on their own. If you're a party person RPI isn't for you. The nightlife at RPI is non-existent or just isn't enjoyable at all. The dorms are alright I'd say personally I was able to make my dorm room look really cute, but I know a lot of people complained. It really depends on the people around you. Beware of the weather it is extremely windy at RPI and gets super cold in the winters.

Daniel Godoy
Graphic Design
Media Studies
Basketball
Robotics + 3 others

4.0

WHAT I LIKED

Despite having a rough first year, I can definitely recommend RPI. While it is tough academically, the professors are great for the most part and you’ll have a lot of opportunities to learn more about any given topic and participate in student research. The students are very friendly and I can say that I’ve met some of the most inspiring and helpful people there.

WHAT I didn’t LIKE

The food at RPI is definitely lacking as you are required to have a dining plan the first two years and the food isn’t the greatest at the cafeterias. While they are open late into the night, some of the meals are good, others decent, while some are barely edible. Fortunately there’s quite a bit of variety so you’re likely to find something you like.

Christopher Vallarta
Video Editing and Production
Dungeons And Dragons
Voice Acting
Streaming + 9 others

3.0

WHAT I LIKED

I think for my major (Games and Simulations Arts and Sciences) and the excellent med-program are the reasons to go to RPI. It's very much a college for those who are willing to put in a lot of work, which I appreciate.

WHAT I didn’t LIKE

The administration can be frustratingly slow with processing things and their mental health resources are very poor to nearly missing.

Chloe DeNuto
Crocheting
Clarinet
Music
Piano + 16 others

4.0

WHAT I LIKED

RPI is a great school if you want to major in engineering but still go to a small school. They have amazing professors who truly care about the work they are doing.

WHAT I didn’t LIKE

While many people despair about the dying social life at RPI, there are tons of clubs to join, all of which are extremely active. I highly encourage prospective students to pre-choose clubs they want to join and connect with them early on so they don't have to worry about a (definitely possible) dead social life.

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While we do our best to show up-to-date information, due to COVID-19 and other factors out of our control, it is possible that the data we are showing about test requirements, application deadlines, and more, are inaccurate. Please verify with the college itself via their website to ensure you are aware of all requirements and deadlines.