RPI Acceptance Rate and Admission Requirements

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is somewhat selective in its admission process. The acceptance rate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is 64.51%. This means that 65 out of every 100 applicants get admitted.

How Competitive are Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Admissions?

Competitive: Applicants need good academics and extracurriculars.
GPA, SAT/ACT, and AP/IB courses significantly impact admission chances.
A holistic review considers essays, recommendations, and leadership roles.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Admission Competitiveness

To secure admission, you must convince the admission staff that you are both mentally and physically fit for the course of study. More importantly, your GPA, class performance, SAT/ACT scores, and IB or AP courses can help your application stand out. Additionally, if you do not perform well in one area, you can showcase your strengths in other areas, as the RPI is not very strict in its admission process, so improving other areas will help you secure admission.

As the acceptance rate is above 50%, you still have a chance if your GPA is not excellent. You can make up for a lower GPA by scoring high on the SAT, and ACT, and taking IB or AP courses.

Additionally, a well-written letter of recommendation, your participation in co-curricular and extracurricular activities, and your interpersonal communication skills can enhance your admission chances.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Admission Requirements

RPI GPA Requirement

The average GPA of the admitted students at RPI is 3.88. It means that RPI is extremely selective in terms of the GPA. (Please note that most schools report a weighted GPA, which is out of 4.0. However, some schools may use unweighted GPAs. For exact information, contact the school admission staff).

With an average GPA of 3.88, RPI requires you to be at the top of your class. You need to score straight A's in all classes to have good chances of admission. Additionally, you must take AP or IB courses to demonstrate your academic ability. More specifically, your AP and IB courses must be related to the area of your selected course of study. For example, if you are planning a career in engineering or IT, courses related to mathematics, calculus, and physics will help you.

If your GPA is less than 3.88 and higher than 3.58 then you need higher SAT or ACT scores to compensate. You need a minimum of 3.48 GPA, to secure admission at RPI. Below this, the chances of admission will be very slim.

Can I Get Into RPI Without SAT Or ACT?: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute considers admission test scores (SAT/ACT) during the application process but does not require them. Although it is not strictly a requirement, the test scores are considered for admission decisions. Hence, it is advisable to prepare well for the test and submit the best scores. Normally, students may appear in the test 4 to 5 times to improve their scores. Hence you are required to plan early and appear in upcoming SAT / ACT tests. Check the schedule of the test and plan accordingly. It is advisable to appear multiple times in the test unless you score well above the average SAT / ACT score of the admitted students, as given below.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) SAT Requirements

Each school has different requirements for SAT and ACT testing. Only a few schools require the SAT or ACT, but many consider your scores if you choose to submit them. The test score policy is already mentioned.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Average SAT Score: 1457
The average SAT score of the admitted students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 1457 on the 1600 SAT scale.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute SAT Competitiveness

This score makes it very Competitive for SAT test scores. You need to do very well to score 1457 on the SAT.
If your score is below 1360, consider retaking the SAT to improve your chances of admission to RPI. It is not strange to appear multiple times for the SAT to improve scores. Colleges don’t mind if you have appeared multiple times, but not more than 5 times.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections

Section	Average	25th Percentile	75th Percentile
SAT Math	740	700	780
SAT Reading	700	660	740
SAT Composite	1457	1360	1520

It means that if you have scored less than 1360 then you are below most of the admitted students at RPI and your chances of admission are very few. But if you have scored 1520 or more, your chances of admission are higher. 25th percentile means that only 25% of the admitted students have fewer scores than this score. 75th percentile marks the score of the upper 25% of the students. View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1450

Can I get into Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) with a 1500 SAT?

With a 1500 SAT Score, your chances of admission at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) are good but the admission staff at RPI tests your all-around personality and your academics. Your GPA, Class performance, SAT/ACT/Test scores, and AP or IB Courses can help your application stand out. Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and interpersonal communication skills are very important. Additionally, if you cannot perform well in one area, you have a chance to showcase your strengths and abilities in other areas, improving other areas will help you secure admission. You need to show better performance in all areas. An equally high GPA, taking IB or AP Courses and your role in leadership activities will increase your chances of admission. However, if you equally compete well in all other areas, your chances of admission are high.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) ACT Requirements

The average ACT Score at RPI is 32.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ACT Competitiveness

This score makes Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute very Competitive for ACT scores. You need to do very well to score 32 on the ACT.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections

Section	Average	25th Percentile	75th Percentile
ACT Math	0	0	0
ACT English	0	0	0
ACT Composite	32	30	34

Can I get into Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a 34 ACT?

With a 34 ACT Score, your chances of admission at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are good but the admission staff does not check your ACT Score only. The College Admission process tests your all-around personality and academics. Your GPA, Class performance, SAT/ACT/Test scores, and AP or IB Courses can help your application stand out. Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and interpersonal communication skills are very important. Additionally, if you cannot perform well in one area, you have a chance to showcase your strengths and abilities in other areas, improving other areas will help you secure admission.

SAT Vs ACT: Which score to send

You can compare your scores in SAT and ACT to the average SAT and ACT Scores of the admitted students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. More importantly, comparing your scores with the 25th and 75th percentiles of SAT and ACT scores will give you a better understanding of where you stand. If your score on the SAT is near the 75th percentile SAT score, then you must send your SAT score. If your ACT score is near the 75th percentile, then you must send your ACT Score.

But there is more, if both of your scores are in the same range, then it is better to send an ACT Score, as in the case of ACT, you can control which score to send as opposed to SAT.

Here is how: When sending the ACT Score, you can decide which score you want to send to the colleges. You could take 8 ACT tests, and only send your highest one. This is not the case with the SAT, where your score report mentions all of your attempts.

View a list of all colleges with an average ACT score of 32.

RPI Profile

Name: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)

City: Troy

URL: www.rpi.edu/

State: New York

Type: Non-Profit Private

Zip: 12180-3590

Campus: Main

Accredited by: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSACHE)

How much does a degree from RPI Cost?

The average annual cost of the degree at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is USD: 77763. As most of the students receive Pell Grants and Federal Grants the average annual net price a student has to pay at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is much less than this.

How can I get a scholarship?

18.31% of the students are receiving Pell Grant and 47.93 percent are receiving Federal Grants. So it is a better choice to go to RPI and apply for PELL or federal loan grants.

At Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, you will have no problem receiving any scholarship from the federal government. Fill in the FAFSA application form at the earliest and enlist RPI as your choice in the form.

How much a RPI Graduate make?

The average annual salary of the RPI graduate after 4-6 years of graduation is USD 102051. An average RPI graduate makes this much after 10 years of enrollment (4-6 years after graduation).

The average annual income of a graduate in the United States is USD: 40595

Less Competitive Schools

These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower than the requirements of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, you'll be competitive for these schools.

School	Location	SAT	ACT
Occidental College	Occidental College, CA	1434	33
Connecticut College	Connecticut College, CT	1427	32
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IL	1440	32
Tulane University of Louisiana	Tulane University of Louisiana, LA	1443	32
Babson College	Babson College, MA	1434	32
Mount Holyoke College	Mount Holyoke College, MA	1432	32
Hillsdale College	Hillsdale College, MI	1440	32
Macalester College	Macalester College, MN	1430	32
Davidson College	Davidson College, NC	1435	32
Oberlin College	Oberlin College, OH	1446	32

Equally Competitive Schools

These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. If your SAT or ACT score are competitive for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, you'll be competitive for these schools also.

School	Location	SAT	ACT
Scripps College	Scripps College, CA	1467	33
University of Maryland-College Park	University of Maryland-College Park, MD	1461	32
Boston University	Boston University, MA	1454	33
Smith College	Smith College, MA	1455	33
Stevens Institute of Technology	Stevens Institute of Technology, NJ	1455	33

More Competitive Schools

These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.

School	Location	SAT	ACT
Scripps College	Scripps College, CA	1467	33
Georgetown University	Georgetown University, DC	1507	34
Emory University	Emory University, GA	1493	33
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus	Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus, GA	1480	33
Grinnell College	Grinnell College, IA	1480	33

Degree Programs

Bachelor Degree Programs

Full list of All degree programs offered by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Data on this page is sourced from IPEDS, College Scorecard's latest data as provided in 2024, US Department of Education's latest 2024 statistics, Institute's official websites and printed material as well as additional publicly available sources.