WPI vs. RPI

Should I go to Worcester Polytechnic Institute or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WPI or RPI is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Worcester Polytechnic Institute vs. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute comparison
Worcester Polytechnic Institute Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute College 3 College 4
Worcester Polytechnic Institute Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
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Overview

 WPI RPI
Location Worcester, MA Troy, NY
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 7,353 7,024
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #124
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wpi.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WPI RPI
Tuition (In State) $57,960 $60,360
Tuition (Out of State) $57,960 $60,360
Room & Board $18,072 $17,530
Avg Net Price $47,799 $35,940
Avg Grant Aid $28,005 $43,994
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 96%

Admission

 WPI RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,809 16,283
Admitted 6,908 9,517
Acceptance Rate 58.5% 58.4%
Enrolled % 19.7% 16.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/34
SAT Range 1330/1500
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 WPI RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (61%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • General Studies (5%)
  • Business (4%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

 WPI RPI
Graduation Rate 76% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,700 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $284

Diversity

 WPI RPI
% Men 17% 10%
% Women 8% 5%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 63% 59%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 8% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 12% 11%
% Unknown Race 6% 2%

Students

 WPI RPI
% In-State 44% 36%
% Out-of-State 49% 58%

Campus

 WPI RPI
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute is larger than than RPI based on total student enrollment (7,353 students vs. 7,024 students)

WPI vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WPI or RPI?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 4.1% more expensive to attend than WPI for in-state tuition ($60,360.00 vs. $57,960.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.1% higher at RPI than Worcester Polytechnic Institute ($60,360.00 vs. $57,960.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than WPI ($35,940 vs. $47,799)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are 3.1% lower than costs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute ($17,530 vs. $18,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than Worcester Polytechnic Institute (96% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 57.1% larger than aid received Worcester Polytechnic Institute ($43,994 vs. $28,005)

WPI vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, WPI or RPI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between RPI or WPI .

  • Accepted freshman WPI students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at RPI (3.88)
  • WPI has a higher acceptance rate (58.5%) than RPI (58.4%)

WPI vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WPI or RPI? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between RPI and WPI.

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than Worcester Polytechnic Institute (84% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Worcester Polytechnic Institute earn on average $200 more per year than RPI graduates after ten years. ($82,700 vs. $82,500)
  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($27,000 vs. $27,500)
  • WPI graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($279 vs. $284)
  • More WPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RPI students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 92%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/