First-year deadlines, 2026–27
| Plan | Deadline | Decision by |
|---|---|---|
| Early decision Apply early, hear early, and you must enroll if admitted. Binding. | November 1, 2026 | December 12, 2026 |
| Early action Apply early, hear early, not binding. | December 1, 2026 | January 30, 2027 |
| Early decision II A second, later early decision round. Also binding. | January 6, 2027 | January 16, 2027 |
| Regular decision The standard deadline, with answers in spring. Not binding. | January 15, 2027 | March 6, 2027 |
Plans are listed in calendar order. What the plans mean
Source: undergrad.admissions.rpi.edu · checked September 30, 2026
What families actually pay
Average yearly net price after grants, all students, by family income
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, College Scorecard · data snapshot October 2, 2026
AP credit
Most-taken exams, lowest score that earns credit| Exam | Min score | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute course | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calculus BC | 4 | MATH 1010 and MATH 1020 Calculus I and Calculus…MATH 1010 and MATH 1020 Calculus I and Calculus II 4 credits + 4 credits | |
| Biology | 4 | BIOL 1010 and BIOL 1015 Introduction to Biology…BIOL 1010 and BIOL 1015 Introduction to Biology and Introduction to Biology lab 3 credits + 1 credit | |
| Chemistry | 4 | CHEM 1100 and CHEM 1200 Chemistry I and Chemistry…CHEM 1100 and CHEM 1200 Chemistry I and Chemistry II 4 credits + 4 credits | |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | WRIT 1000 Writing elective 4 credits | |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | WRIT 1000 Writing elective 4 credits | |
| Psychology | 4 | PSYC 1200 General Psychology 4 credits | |
| Statistics | 4 | MGMT 2100 Statistical Methods 4 credits | |
| Computer Science A | 4 | CSCI 1100 Computer Science I 4 credits |
Show all 26 exams and every score level
| Exam | Min score | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calculus BC | 4 | MATH 1010 and MATH 1020 Calculus I and Calculus…MATH 1010 and MATH 1020 Calculus I and Calculus II 4 credits + 4 credits | |
| Biology | 4 | BIOL 1010 and BIOL 1015 Introduction to Biology…BIOL 1010 and BIOL 1015 Introduction to Biology and Introduction to Biology lab 3 credits + 1 credit | |
| Chemistry | 4 | CHEM 1100 and CHEM 1200 Chemistry I and Chemistry…CHEM 1100 and CHEM 1200 Chemistry I and Chemistry II 4 credits + 4 credits | |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | WRIT 1000 Writing elective 4 credits | |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | WRIT 1000 Writing elective 4 credits | |
| Psychology | 4 | PSYC 1200 General Psychology 4 credits | |
| Statistics | 4 | MGMT 2100 Statistical Methods 4 credits | |
| Computer Science A | 4 | CSCI 1100 Computer Science I 4 credits | |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | ECON 1000 Economics Elective 4 credits | |
| Microeconomics | 4 | ECON 1000 Economics Elective 4 credits | |
| Environmental Science | 4 | IENV 1000 Environmental Science elective 4 credits | |
| Human Geography | 4 | STSO 1000 STSO Elective 4 credits | |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | CSCI 1000 Computer Science Elective 4 credits | |
| Art History | 4 | ARTS 1050 Art in Context 4 credits | |
| Music Theory | 4 | ARTS 1380 Fundamentals of Music and Sound 4 credits | |
| 2D Design | 4 | ARTS 1220 Fundamentals of 2D Design 4 credits | |
| 3D Design | 4 | ARTS 2210 Sculpture I 4 credits | |
| African American Studies | 4 | STSO 1000 STSO Elective 4 credits | |
| Calculus AB (and AB sub-score) | 4 | MATH 1010 Calculus I 4 credits | |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | LANG 2410 Chinese II 4 credits | |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | STSO 1000 STSO Elective 4 credits | |
| Drawing | 4 | ARTS 1200 Basic Drawing 4 credits | |
| Physics 1: Algebra-based examination | 4 | PHYS 1100 – Only if student has also received…PHYS 1100 – Only if student has also received credit for Calculus I (via AP credit, transfer credit, or completes Calculus I at Rensselaer) Physics I 4 credits | |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | PHYS 1200 Physics II 4 credits | |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | PHYS 1100 Physics I 4 credits | |
| United States History or European History or Modern World History | 4 | STSO 1000 STSO Elective 4 credits |
Source: registrar.rpi.edu · checked September 19, 2026
Biggest majors
| Major | Graduates |
|---|---|
| Computer Science | 237 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 146 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 92 |
| Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering | 75 |
| Electrical and Electronics Engineering | 68 |
| Business Administration and Management | 60 |
| Mathematics | 54 |
| Computer/Computer Systems Technology/Technician | 53 |
Show the other 32 majors
| Architecture | 52 |
| Civil Engineering | 50 |
| Chemical Engineering | 48 |
| Game and Interactive Media Design | 39 |
| Physics | 32 |
| Information Technology | 23 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Other | 20 |
| Industrial Engineering | 19 |
| Biology/Biological Sciences | 17 |
| Nuclear Engineering | 16 |
| Materials Engineering | 15 |
| Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies | 14 |
| Business Statistics | 14 |
| Psychology | 11 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 10 |
| Cognitive Science | 10 |
| Chemistry | 10 |
| Neuroscience | 8 |
| Econometrics and Quantitative Economics | 8 |
| Communication | 7 |
| Visual and Performing Arts | 7 |
| Bioinformatics | 6 |
| Physics, Other | 5 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 4 |
| Environmental Science | 4 |
| Philosophy | 3 |
| Sustainability Studies | 3 |
| Science, Technology and Society | 2 |
| Music Theory and Composition | 2 |
| Geology/Earth Science | 1 |
| Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia | 1 |
| Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology | 1 |
Bachelor’s graduates, first major, most recent year · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, IPEDS · data snapshot October 2, 2026
Ranked programs
Where Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ranks in the top 25 on our top-programs lists, best rank first. How we rank programs
- #20 for Pre-pharmacyof 50 colleges
Sports and campus life
Men’s varsity · NCAA Division III, Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association
Baseball, Basketball, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Swimming and Diving (combined), Tennis, Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
Women’s varsity · NCAA Division III, Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association
Basketball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming and Diving (combined), Tennis, Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
ROTC
Air Force, Army, Navy
Faith groups
Cru, Hillel, InterVarsity, Newman Connection
Also
Study abroad
Greek life
18% of men in fraternities · 12% of women in sororities · 16% of undergraduates overall (Common Data Set 2022–23)
Sources: U.S. Dept. of Education athletics data (EADA), Common Data Set (Greek life), hillel.org · checked September 4, 2026 · data snapshot October 2, 2026
The place
Setting
City, small
Federal locale classification
Metro area
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
913,485 people
Big-city metro (1 million+)
No
More about the place
Nearest airport
Albany International (ALB)
Nearest hub airport
Bradley International (BDL)
Walkability
EPA walkability index 14.8 of 20
Elevation
236 ft
Time zone
Eastern
January low
17°F
July high
86°F
Annual snowfall
59.2 in
Days at 90°F or higher
13 per year
One-bedroom fair market rent
$1,420 per month
Sources: U.S. Dept. of Education (IPEDS locale), U.S. Census metro estimates, NOAA climate normals, HUD fair market rents, EPA walkability · data snapshot October 2, 2026
Colleges nearby
- Russell Sage College1 mi
- Siena College4 mi
- University at Albany8 mi
- Excelsior University10 mi
- Union College14 mi
- Williams College24 mi
Straight-line distance between campuses
Similar colleges
Private nonprofit, city campus, NCAA Division III, similar size
- Case Western Reserve University6,186 students
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute5,453 students
- University of Rochester6,764 students
- Carnegie Mellon University7,289 students
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology4,576 students
- Emory University7,359 students