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Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA · City · 5,447 students
WebsiteCommon AppForbes rankingScorecard
Application deadlines: Check the admissions site
$43,071
Average net priceYour net price
2023-24
<30
30–48
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
89%
Graduation rate
Entered fall 2017 & 2018
70% typical
$103,470
Earnings 10 years on
Measured 2020 & 2021
$63,395 typical
60%
Acceptance rate
Applied for fall 2024
73% typical · not scored
Accredited by New England Commission on Higher Education
About

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is a premier STEM-focused university renowned for its elite programs in engineering—including the nation’s first undergraduate robotics engineering major—as well as computer science and game development. The undergraduate experience is defined by the distinctive "WPI Plan," which operates on four fast-paced, seven-week terms per year and replaces traditional lecture-heavy coursework with hands-on, team-based projects. A key hallmark is the Global Projects Program, where students travel to more than 50 project centers worldwide to solve real-world societal and technological problems. Campus culture is tight-knit, innovative, and deeply collaborative, offering an energetic environment where technically minded students trade cutthroat competition for practical, cooperative problem-solving.

Wikipedia:The Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is a private research university in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1865, WPI was one of the United States' first engineering and technology universities and now has 14 academic departments with over 50 bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. degree programs. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".

Location
Worcester, MA, 01609-2280 · City campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
ORH · Worcester
3 mi away
Open in Google MapsView official campus map
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
YoursEveryone
Tuition & fees$60,965
Housing & food (on campus)$18,386
Books & supplies$1,200
Cost of attendance$87,570
Average net price$43,071
Same price for all students
Tuition & fees$60,965
Housing & food (on campus)$18,386
Books & supplies$1,200
Cost of attendance$87,570
Average net price$43,071
Source: U.S. College Scorecard · published total: www.wpi.edu
How it’s made up · 2026-27
Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s own figures for 2026-2027, newer than the 2024-25 federal figures above, so the amounts differ.
Tuition$63,936
Housing$10,660
Food$9,072
Books & supplies$1,200
Personal expenses$1,200
Total published by the school$87,570
Net price by family income · 2023-24
$0–30k
$24,018
$30–48k
$24,452
$48–75k
$32,350
$75–110k
$37,753
$110k+
$49,716
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
89%
Entered 2017–18
Within 4 yrs
84%
Back for yr 2
94%
Transferred
0%
8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students
89% graduated · 7% transferred · 4% left or unknown · none still enrolled
Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021
6 yrs after entry$85,038
10 yrs after entry$103,470
Debt
Median at graduation$27,000
Monthly payment$286
Middle 50% owe$17.5k–$30k
90th percentile$32,500
Green marks a figure above the typical Doctoral University: 70% graduate within 6 yrs, $63,395 earned 10 yrs after entry.
Admissions
Getting in · applied for fall 2024
Admit rate
60%
Test policy
Not required
Per College Scorecard

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Essay prompts

If Worcester Polytechnic Institute asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body
Gender
Men 67%Women 33%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
13 : 1
Pell grant
12%
First-gen
13%
Family income
$114,021
Independent
2%
Age at entry
19.0
Part-time
2%
Race & ethnicity
White
64%
Hispanic
9%
Black
3%
Asian
13%
Two or more
4%
Non-resident
6%
Unknown
2%
Varsity sports
NCAA Division III with football · EADA 2024-25
  • Baseball
    Men's
  • Basketball
    Men's · Women's
  • Field Hockey
    Women's
  • Football
    Men's
  • Rowing
    Men's · Women's
  • Soccer
    Men's · Women's
  • Softball
    Women's
  • Swimming and Diving (combined)
    Men's · Women's
  • Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
    Men's · Women's
  • Volleyball
    Women's
  • Wrestling
    Men's
Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021
After 6 yrs
$85,038
After 10 yrs
$103,470
Computer Science222
Mechanical Engineering211
Biomedical/Medical Engineering121
Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering116
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering77
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering59
Chemical Engineering51
Data Science47
Civil Engineering35
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology30
Biology, General28
Architectural Engineering26
Mathematics26
Design and Applied Arts24
Industrial Engineering23
Engineering-Related Fields22
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$683M
Full-time faculty
83%
Faculty salary
$13,376/mo
Teaching spend
$21,636
per student
Federal loans
52%
Classification
Carnegie type
Doctoral University
Research activity
R1 — very high research
$72M research spending · 75 research doctorates a year
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, selective admissions

Wondering if Worcester Polytechnic Institute is the right fit for you?

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Financial aid & net cost estimates
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