Private · #60 National University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY · 5,714 undergraduates
What it may cost by family income
Estimated average net price — what families actually pay after grants and scholarships — by annual household income. Net price matters far more than the $82,404 sticker price. All figures are the full cost of attendance — housing, food, and books included, not just tuition.
| Household income | Est. net price / year |
|---|---|
| Under $30k | $24,078 |
| $30k–$48k | $26,289 |
| $48k–$75k | $28,212 |
| $75k–$110k | $36,230 |
| Over $110k | $42,541 |
Sticker cost of attendance: $82,404.
What the whole degree costs
Every cost figure above is one year. A bachelor's degree is four — sometimes five. Today's-prices makes no assumptions; the second column assumes prices rise ~3.5% a year, in line with recent averages.
| Household income | 4 yrs, today's prices | 4 yrs with increases |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30k | $96,312 | $101,487 |
| $30k–$48k | $105,156 | $110,807 |
| $48k–$75k | $112,848 | $118,912 |
| $75k–$110k | $144,920 | $152,707 |
| Over $110k | $170,164 | $179,308 |
First-year aid is not guaranteed to repeat — ask Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute how grants change after year one. That answer moves these numbers more than anything else on this page.
Applying to a specific major at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
64% is the acceptance rate for the whole university — not for every major. For the programs below, admission is usually decided separately and is harder than that number suggests. Almost no university publishes a by-major admission rate, and neither does the federal government, so we do not show one: any site that does is estimating.
To find the real figure for your major, check Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Common Data Set and its admissions page, or ask an admissions officer directly — that question gets answered more often than students expect.
At Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: 250 bachelor's degrees awarded a year · $92,277 median earnings (Computer Science.)
Applicant demand has grown far faster than faculty and seats, so many universities cap CS enrollment, admit to it directly, or require a competitive internal application after enrolling.
Check: Whether the school admits to CS directly, and whether switching into CS later is restricted — the answer changes your real odds more than your test scores do.
At Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: 589 bachelor's degrees awarded a year · $66,798 median earnings (Mechanical Engineering.)
Most engineering colleges admit students directly into the college rather than the university at large, and review them against a separate, usually more selective pool.
Check: Whether you apply to the engineering college directly, and what happens if you are not admitted — some schools offer general admission with a later transfer path, others do not.
At Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: 58 bachelor's degrees awarded a year · $65,821 median earnings (Business Administration, Management and Operations.)
Many undergraduate business schools admit their own cohort at application time and are more selective than the university overall; others admit only after two years of coursework.
Check: Whether the business school is direct-admit for first-years, and if not, what GPA the internal application actually requires.
At Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: 56 bachelor's degrees awarded a year · $52,316 median earnings (Architecture.)
Professional architecture degrees usually require a portfolio and are reviewed by the school of architecture separately from general admission.
Check: Portfolio requirements and deadlines — these are often earlier than the regular application deadline.
Federal data shows no bachelor's completions at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in nursing or visual & performing arts, so those are not listed above. Small or new programs can be missing from federal reporting — confirm with the school before ruling one out.
What graduates earn, by major
Median earnings and median federal loan debt for bachelor's graduates of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, by field of study, from the U.S. Department of Education. Earnings differ far more between majors at one school than between schools.
| Major | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science. · Computer Science | $92,277 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering. · Engineering | $66,798 | — |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering. · Engineering | $69,140 | — |
| Mathematics. · Mathematics & Statistics | $63,005 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering. · Engineering | $76,460 | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering. · Engineering | $67,101 | — |
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians. · Engineering | $88,933 | — |
| Chemical Engineering. · Engineering | $69,338 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. · Business | $65,821 | — |
| Architecture. · Architecture | $52,316 | — |
| Civil Engineering. · Engineering | $68,047 | — |
| Physics. | $69,338 | — |
Largest programs shown. Earnings are measured a few years after graduation and reflect who enrolls as much as what is taught.
Is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute a reach, target, or safety for you?
Ladder2College models your personal admission odds and net cost here — based on your GPA, scores, and family income — and shows how it fits alongside the rest of your list.
Model my odds & cost — freeFigures are estimates modeled on U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data and recent reporting, provided for guidance only. Always confirm cost with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s official net price calculator and admissions figures with the school directly.