Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

What Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's own numbers say, from its Common Data Set 2025-26.

All 2 insights at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute PRO

7 more things the data says PRO

1. The share of international students in the first-year class has fallen from 18% to 2% since 2019-20, about 2.6 points a year.
2. The admit rate has moved up steadily, from 47.4% in 2019-20 to 67.2% in 2025-26. If the trend holds, expect about 70.9% in 2026-27.
3. Applications fell 23% from 2019-20 to 2025-26 (18,635 to 14,356).
4. 599 students stayed on the waitlist and 6 were admitted from it (1.0%).
5. Early Decision filled about 16% of the 2025-26 first-year class, less than most similar colleges.
6. After ED, 1,175 of 1,394 seats were left for 14,039 other applicants: about one seat for every 12.
7. ED applicants were admitted at 69%, against 67.2% for everyone else: about the same rate.

What students say PRO

From students' own posts on Reddit and admissions forums: self-reported, unverified, never used in your odds.

• Most admits who named a round (26 of 33) applied Early Action; 6 applied Regular Decision and 1 Early Decision.
• About 15 admits spent years on robotics or similar build teams, often as captain, programmer or founder.
• Many admits led clubs or student government as president, captain or officer for several years.
• About 18 admits did research or a field-related internship, such as labs, hospitals, IT or engineering work.
• About 14 admits founded something: a tech club, nonprofit, business or youth program.
• Students report merit awards of about $38k to $50k a year come with the acceptance, but the full aid package arrives separately.
• A medal award is reported at roughly $40k a year, yet students say a non-medalist admit still got about $38k and was admitted.

Every number, year by year: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Open College Data. Something wrong? Suggest a correction.