Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
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Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: Overview, Rankings, Fees & Courses

  • B++ Shiksha Grade
  • Private University
  • Institute Icon2 Campuses
  • Estd. 1824
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Dark Clock Icon Last updated on 3 Dec '24, by Akanksha Malhotra (Study Abroad Expert)

About Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

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Year of establishment
1824
Also known as
RPI
University website
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Student website
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Total foreign students
885
Campus size
265 acres
No. of campus
2
Endowment value
USD 793 million
Scholarships granted
4803
Scholarship amount granted
USD 170 million
English proficiency test
Required
Accepted exams
SAT/ACT accepted
Optional
Total faculty
539
Faculty/Student ratio
12
Total criminal offences
76
Quick university statsInsights on student demographics, enrolment, and academic success
UG Race

Others

64%

Asian

19%

Hispanic

10%

Black

4%

UG Student residence

Out of state

57%

In state

36%

Foreign

5%

UG Age distribution

24 and under

99%

UG Applicant Icon

UG Number of Applicant

16863
grad RateIcon

Overall Graduation Rate

0.84
UG Enroll Icon

UG Enrollment

5901
PG Enroll Icon

PG Enrollment

1066
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
On Highlights

Q:   Is Rensselaer hard to get into?

A: 

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute New York acceptance rate is 65%, according to a few unofficial sources. Keeping the acceptance rate in mind, it can be said that the institute is somewhat selective during the admission. So, to get into this institute, it is a sure thing that the applicants are required to have a good academic background. Apart from this, the applicants must submit their application as per the required deadline with all the supporting documents. The general Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admission requirements are mentioned below:

  • UG: The applicants should have obtained secondary school qualification
  • PG: A bachelor’s degree or equivalent must be obtained for admission to graduate courses

Q:   Is Rensselaer private or public?

A: 

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private institute located in Troy, New York. The institute is located on a 260-acre campus. To make a great RPI campus life, a few student services that are offered are 200+ clubs and organizations, sports and recreation facilities, health & counselling services, etc. RPI First-year and second-year students can live on-campus.

Q:   How many international students are at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?

A: 

Around 1,800 international students and scholars are there at RPI Troy. As per the facts of 2022-23, the total student enrollment at the institute is 7,000+. A wide variety of undergraduate and graduate programs are offered to international students. Some of the degrees that international students can attain from RPI are MS, MBA, BBA, M.Arch, BTech, etc.

Q:   How much does it cost to apply to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?

A: 

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute application fee is USD 70 (Around INR 6,000) for international undergraduate applicants. Whereas, for graduate applicants, the application fee is USD 75 (Around INR 6,300).

Documents to be submitted along with the UG Application

  • High School transcript
  • Letter of recommendation
  • SAT / ACT test scores (optional)
  • Essay (exceptions applicable)
  • English language proficiency score

Documents required to submit Graduate Application

  • Personal Statement
  • Resume / CV
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Portfolio, if required by the department
  • Transcripts and degrees
  • GRE / GMAT scores (Required for Cognitive Science, PhD; Applied Economics and Policy, PhD; Optional for all other degree programs)
  • English language proficiency score

Q:   Is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute prestigious?

A: 

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is placed at #60 position in the national universities list by U.S. News & World Report. As per a few of the student reviews, it has been said that RPI is consistently ranked among the top US universities. It offers a rigorous and challenging with a focus on STEM subjects and research. Furthermore, for students, there are various student resources such as 200+ clubs and organizations, sports and recreation facilities, health & counselling services, etc. Also, the first-year student retention rate is 89%.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Scholarships

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Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Admission Dates 2024

  • Application fees :USD 70 - 75
  • Type of deadline :Depends on course
Document IconDocuments
Type of documentsApplicable for
SOPNot required
LORNeeded for few courses
EssaysNeeded for few courses
CVNeeded for few courses
Additional documentsRequired
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Calendar IconImportant dates
Intake seasonDeadline
Fall1ˢᵗ Jan 2023 - 15ᵗʰ Mar 2024
Spring15ᵗʰ Aug - 1ˢᵗ Nov 2023
Admission details of all coursesRight Arrow Icon
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Commonly asked questions
On Admissions

Q:   What is the application deadline for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?

A: 

The application deadlines for RPI Troy vary as per the UG and PG courses. The RPI application deadlines are given below:

Type of Application

Application Deadline (Fall next year)

Early Decision I

Nov 1, 2024

Early Action

Dec 1, 2024

Early Decision II

Jan 3, 2025

Regular Decision

Jan 15, 2025

Q:   How much is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute application fee?

A: 

RPI Troy application fee varies for international undergraduate and graduate applicants. The application fee for UG courses is USD 70 (Around INR 5,900) and for PG courses, it is USD 75 (Around INR 6,200). To submit the application successfully, the applicants are required to submit documents such as academic transcripts, letters of recommendation, standardized test scores, English language proficiency scores, etc.

Q:   What time does RPI decisions come out?

A: 

In the case of UG programs, since there are different types of application rounds, the admission decisions are announced on various dates by RPI Troy. Here are some of the admission decision dates of the university’s UG programs:

Type of Application

RPI Decision Date

Early Decision I

Dec 14, 2024

Early Action

Early Feb 2025

Early Decision II

Jan End 2025

Regular Decision

Mar 8, 2025

Q:   How do I get into Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?

A: 

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute requirements are given below:

  • Undergraduate Courses: The applicants are required to have academic transcripts from secondary schools / high school
  • Graduate Courses: The minimum requirement for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admission is the completion and award of a four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree, or its equivalent, by the time of planned enrolment

Apart from the above-given academic requirements, international applicants are also required to submit test scores of English language proficiency such as IELTS / TOEFL / PTE, etc.

Also Read: Requirements to Study in USA for International Students 

Q:   How to get into Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?

A: 

According to U.S. News & World Report, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute acceptance rate is 65%. This means RPI is moderately selective when it comes to admissions. So, it is important to have a good academic background in order to get into RPI. The factors that are considered by the institute for admissions purposes are:

  • Course rigor
  • Class rank
  • Test scores
  • Class rank
  • Essay
  • Recommendations
  • Extracurricular
  • Character / personality

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Tuition Fees, Duration, & Eligibility 2024

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Courses1st Year Tuition FeesDuration & Eligibility
MBA/PGDM(8 courses)
INR 46 L - 53 L
Duration1 year
Exam AcceptedIELTS: 6.5 & Above, GMAT, GRE
MIM(7 courses)
INR 46 L - 53 L
Duration1 year
Exam AcceptedIELTS: 6.5 & Above, GMAT, GRE
M.Arch(6 courses)
INR 46 L - 51 L
Duration1 year-42 months
Exam AcceptedIELTS: 6.5 & Above, TOEFL: 88 & Above, PTE: 59 & Above
MS(14 courses)
INR 49 L - 53 L
Duration1 year-24 months
Exam AcceptedIELTS: 6.5 & Above, TOEFL: 88 - 100, PTE: 59 - 60
B.E. / B.Tech(14 courses)
INR 49 L - 53 L
Duration4 years
Exam AcceptedIELTS: 7 & Above, TOEFL: 88 & Above, PTE: 59 & Above
BBA(3 courses)
INR 52 L - 53 L
Duration4 years
Exam AcceptedIELTS: 7 & Above, TOEFL: 88 & Above, PTE: 59 & Above
B.A.(1 course)
INR 53 L
Duration4 years
Exam AcceptedIELTS: 7 & Above
B.Arch(1 course)
INR 53 L
Duration5 years
Exam AcceptedIELTS: 7 & Above
B.Sc.(12 courses)
INR 53 L
Duration4 years
Exam AcceptedIELTS: 7 & Above
MEng(10 courses)
INR 53 L
Duration1 year-24 months
Exam AcceptedIELTS: 6.5 & Above
Read more
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
On Fees and Eligibility

Q:   What are the requirements for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?

A: 

The academic requirements for admission to RPI Troy vary as per the course levels. However, there are general requirements that the university expects its international students to meet. These are:

  • UG: The applicants should have obtained secondary school qualification
  • PG: A bachelor’s degree or equivalent should be obtained by the applicants to get into graduate courses

Besides meeting the academic requirements, the applicants should meet the English language proficiency requirements. To showcase this, the applicants are required to submit IELTS / TOEFL / PTE / Duolingo score.

Q:   What are the English requirements for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?

A: 

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy has stated that international students must submit IELTS / TOEFL / PTE / Duolingo scores in order to take admission. The minimum scores required in these ELP tests are:

Tests

UG Score

PG Score

TOEFL iBT

88

88

IELTS

7.0

6.5

Duolingo

115

120

PTE

59

59

Q:   How much does it cost to go to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?

A: 

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute tuition fee varies from course to course. However, an estimate of the tuition fee in INR is given below:

Courses

1st Year Tuition Fees

MS (4 courses)

INR 49 L - 50 L

MIM (6 courses)

INR 45 L

MBA/PGDM (7 courses)

INR 45 L - 50 L

M.Arch (6 courses)

INR 45 L - 50 L

BBA (1 course)

INR 45 L

BE / BTech (1 course)

INR 49 L

Living Cost: According to the official website of the RPI, here is the cost of living for the academic year 2023-24:

Particulars

UG

PG

Food & housing

USD 17,530

USD 16,280

Books & supplies

USD 1,310

USD 1,540

Personal expenses

USD 1,180

USD 1,180

Transportation

USD 500

USD 500

Health insurance

-

USD 2,020

Also Check: Cost of Living in USA for International Students 

Q:   What does a competitive applicant have to get into RPI Troy Lally School of Management?

A: 

For admission to RPI Troy Lally School of Management graduate courses, the competent applicants have the following:

  • A GPA of 3.0
  • A GMAT score of 600 or GRE score of 156 Q / 146 V / 4.0 AW

Note the above-given requirements are not the minimum requirements, and the GMAT / GRE score submission is optional. All the applications at the institute are reviewed holistically, where in academic grades, letters of recommendation, test scores, work experience, and personal statement are considered.

Q:   Who is eligible for the Supply Chain Management MSc course of RPI?

A: 

For admissions to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute MSc Supply Chain Management, the applicants must have a four-year US bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. Besides this, the applicants are required to have evidence of English language proficiency such as IELTS / TOEFL / PTE, etc. The documents that have to be submitted along with the application are:

  • Resume / CV
  • Personal Statement
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Academic transcripts
  • GRE / GMAT score (Optional)

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Job Outcomes

Top Recruiters

Accenture
Barclays Bank
ABN Amro Bank
Barclays Capital
Bank of America
Deloitte
Amazon.com
Merrill Lynch
Cisco Systems
GE Capital Services
Osmosys
Local Oye
Citigroup
IBM
HSBC
Google
Microsoft
Ernst & Young
CITI Bank
Goldman Sachs
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Commonly asked questions
On Placements

Q:   How much do RPI graduates make?

A: 

According to the employment statistics of 2021, the average salary of RPI Troy is USD 81,452. Other important employment details are given below:

  • RPI graduates were employed in the industries such as Consulting, Technology, Biotechnology, Aerospace, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Healthcare, etc.
  • The top employers were Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, IBM, Deloitte, Bloomberg, EY, Goldman Sachs, Accenture, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Cognizant, Bank of America, etc. 

Q:   What career services are offered by RPI?

A: 

Various career services are offered by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy such as:

  • Search for job postings and internships
  • Help with career application materials such as resume making, keyword tips, formatting tips, etc.
  • Career fairs are also organized by the institute

Some of the numbers for RPI Career Services are:

  • Career fair student attendees: 1,950
  • On-campus interviews: 1,923
  • Student searching Handshake (job platform): 7,633

Q:   What are the career opportunities by RPI for MSc in Supply Chain Management?

A: 

The average starting salary of MSc in Supply Chain Management is USD 76,000. After getting a master’s degree in Supply Chain Management, students will get prepared for a transformative career in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Consulting, Operations Management, Consulting, or Procurement and Sourcing. The companies that have hired the graduates of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute MSc in Supply Chain Management are:

  • Amazon
  • Accenture
  • IBM
  • Deloitte
  • Johnson & Johnson
  • Unilever
  • Pratt & Whitney







Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rankings 2024

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
On Rankings

Q:   Is RPI a top 50 school?

A: 

As per U.S. News & World Report, RPI Troy rank is #60 in the national universities category for 2024. Though not in the Top 50 universities in the US, the university is in the Top 60 universities in the US. In 2023, RPI ranked at #51 position. A few of the indicators that are used by U.S. News & World Report for ranking purpose are expert opinion, outcomes, faculty resources, financial resources, etc.

Q:   What is the rank of RPI in the world?

A: 

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute world ranking as per QS World University Rankings in 2024 is #494. Whereas, THE World University ranking has placed it at #401-500 in 2024. A comparison of the university with the current year’s ranking and 2023 is given below:

Ranking Body

2023

2024

QS World University Rankings

#461

#494

THE World University Rankings

#601-800

#401-500

Q:   Why is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute considered to be a good institute even though it has low rankings?

A: 

As per alumni student review of RPI, while the institute is not an elite university, its students have risen through the ranks of every major Engineering or Technology company for the last two centuries. RPI graduates have a great reputation in industry for being very knowledgeable, hard-working, and practical when compared with the competitor universities.

RPI
College comparison

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Compare RPI with other similar colleges

MBA/PGDM
MIM
M.Arch
MS
B.E. / B.Tech
BBA
B.A.
B.Arch
B.Sc.
MEng
College1st Year Tuition FeesShiksha GradeRanking

RPI

INR 45.51 L - 52.67 LB++#601 QS, 2025
INR 46.62 L - 67.47 LB+#951 QS, 2025

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INR 12.87 L - 58.74 LA#761 QS, 2025
The values are of the latest years available with Shiksha. For more details, check detailed comparison
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RPI
Studying in USA

Key Facts About USA

Insights on education, demographics & weather.
Education in USA
school Key Fact Icon
963+
backpack Key Fact Icon
3.38L
cashRegister Key Fact Icon
20 hours per week
cashRegister Key Fact Icon
12 months
Country stats
mapPin Key Fact Icon
Washington D.C.
keyUsers Key Fact Icon
334.23M (2023)
chartMixed Key Fact Icon
2%
letterA Key Fact Icon
English
Weather
December
CF
Popular LocationsMinMax
Boston-26
New York07
Chicago-33
Los Angeles920
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Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Notable Alumni

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Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
On Alumni

Q:   Which famous people graduated from RPI?

A: 

Some of the popular names included in RPI notable alumni list can be checked from the table given below:

Names

Professions / Achievements

Dr. Chauncey Starr

Electrical Engineer

Adam Oates

Former ice hockey player

Dennis Tito

Engineer and Entrepreneur

Bobby Farrelly

Film director, screenwriter & producer

Rosalyn Scott

First African-American woman to become a thoracic surgeon

qna

RPI

Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered a year ago

TOEFL minimum score for RPI admissions varies as per course levels. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute English language proficiency details are given below:

Tests

Minimum Score Required for UG Courses

Minimum Score Required for Graduate Courses

TOEFL

88 on iBT

88 on iBT

IELTS

At least 7.0

6.5

Duolingo

115

120

PTE

59

59

43342425
Akanksha Malhotra

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a year ago

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute requirements for M.Arch (Professional) course are:

  • A bachelor’s degree that is equivalent to a 4-year U.S. degree
  • GRE is not required for this page
  • Personal statement
  • CV
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • A portfolio of creative works

Also Read: M.Arch in USA

43342425
Akanksha Malhotra

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a year ago

Some of the things that students have to keep in mind who are starting their first semester at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are:

  • Focus on academics
  • Be open to learn something new and interesting from fellow colleagues
  • Make time for healthy habits such as eating and sleeping on time, working out as

...more

43342425
Akanksha Malhotra

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a year ago

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute fees for international students can be checked from the table given below:

Courses

1st Year Tuition Fees

MIM (6 courses)

INR 45 L

MS (4 courses)

INR 41 L - 49 L

MBA/PGDM (1 course)

INR 45 L

M.Arch (6 courses)

INR 45 L

PhD (3 courses)

INR 23 L

BBA (1 course)

INR 45 L

BE / BTech (1 course)

INR 49 L

Cost of Living 

The cost of living for 2023-24 for students of RPI is given below:

Particulars

UG Students

Food & Housing

USD 17,530

Books & Supplies

USD 1,310

Personal Expenses

USD 1,180

Transportation

USD 500

Cost of Living for Graduate Students

Particulars

Graduate Students

Food & Housing

USD 16,280

Books & Supplies

USD 1,540

Personal Expenses

USD 1,180

Transportation

USD 500

Health Insurance

USD 2,020

Also Read: Cost of Living in USA for International Students 

43342425
Akanksha Malhotra

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a year ago

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute application methods are given below:

  • Undergraduate Courses: The undergraduate applicants can submit their applications to RPI via Common Application / Coalition Application / Candidate’s Choice Application
  • Graduate Courses: The applicants who want to apply for graduate

...more

43342425
Akanksha Malhotra

Contributor-Level 10

About the author

author image
Akanksha Malhotra

Study Abroad Expert

Akanksha Malhotra is a Content Writer / Editor at Shiksha.com's Study Abroad vertical, creating content for University pages. She is a seasoned education writer with 5+ years of experience, including writing articles for all-India and state levels, r...Read Full Bio
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RPI
Location

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University CityTroy, New York, USA
Size of citySmall
Population of City49,702

RPI
Campuses

Departments Icon2   Campuses
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Main CampusUp Arrow Icon
Address

110 Eighth Street Troy, NY USA 12180

Visit official site External Link Icon

RPI
Contact Information

Address

110 8th St, Troy, NY 12180, USA
Troy ( New York)

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