Worcester Polytechnic Institute: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Worcester, Massachusetts · Private nonprofit · Moderately selective · CDS 2025-2026
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2025-2026
- Test-optional
- 12,355
- Applicants
- 7,647
- Admitted62%
- 1,300
- Enrolled
- 17%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Moderately selective62% admittedRanked #73 (tie) in National Universities; Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs #57 (tie), Business Programs #176 (tie), Computer Science #65 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set published by Worcester Polytechnic Institute (see the source), read on 2026-10-21. The admission-factor grid was re-read from that file to confirm each weighting.
Is Worcester Polytechnic Institute a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Worcester Polytechnic Institute against it in about a minute. No account needed.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private nonprofit university in Worcester, Massachusetts that admits about 62% of applicants, making it a moderately selective school. The average family pays about $43,071 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science and Biomedical/Medical Engineering, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 90% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 3.3 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private institution located in Worcester, Massachusetts with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, Worcester Polytechnic Institute admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 62%. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $43,071 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What GPA does my child need for Worcester Polytechnic Institute?
60% of enrolled students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
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What does Worcester Polytechnic Institute weight in admissions?
Worcester Polytechnic Institute reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean
Very Important
2- Rigor of secondary school record
- Academic GPA
Important
4- Class rank
- Recommendations
- Extracurricular activities
- Character/personal qualities
Considered
9- Standardized test scores
- Application essay
- Talent/ability
- First generation status
- Alumni/ae relation
- Geographical residence
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
- Level of applicant's interest
Not Considered
3- Interview
- State residency
- Religious affiliation/commitment
SAT and ACT scores Worcester Polytechnic Institute typically admits
Many applicants to schools in this tier submit test scores, though the policy varies by year, so check the latest test-optional status before deciding.
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Test-optional with no-harm review; WPI was test-blind 2021-2024, then returned to test-optional.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on Worcester Polytechnic Institute's admissions site. Policies change; confirm before you apply.
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 51% |
| Top 25% of class | 83% |
| Top 50% of class | 98% |
| % submitting class rank | 33% |
How much does Worcester Polytechnic Institute actually cost?
Published tuition is $60,965 for in-state students and $60,965 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $18,386 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $43,071 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 12% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | — |
| Room and board | $19,252 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $43,071 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 81% |
| Average need-based grant | $36,963 |
| Average merit award, no financial need | $24,266 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 59% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $23,446 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA and CSS Profile (incl. noncustodial parent)College Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $0 |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Worcester Polytechnic Institute
| Notification date | 4/1 |
| Reply deadline | 5/1 |
Will my child graduate from Worcester Polytechnic Institute?
These predict outcomes at Worcester Polytechnic Institute better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at Worcester Polytechnic Institute
The most popular undergraduate programs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science and Biomedical/Medical Engineering. Across all programs, Worcester Polytechnic Institute confers roughly 986 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Mechanical Engineering program report a median income of about $100,164 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | 274 | $100,164 |
| Computer Science | 199 | $148,489 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 132 | $102,711 |
| Chemical Engineering | 92 | $100,777 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 87 | $105,931 |
| Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering | 84 | n/a |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 64 | $98,303 |
| Civil Engineering | 54 | $97,994 |
Is Worcester Polytechnic Institute safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Worcester Polytechnic Institute disclosed 18 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 3.3 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 0 violent offenses and 2 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at Worcester Polytechnic Institute?
About 44% of undergraduates at Worcester Polytechnic Institute live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 21% of men join a fraternity and 31% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in Massachusetts parents ask about
Next steps for Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Common questions parents ask about Worcester Polytechnic Institute
What GPA do I need for Worcester Polytechnic Institute?
60% of enrolled students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does Worcester Polytechnic Institute typically admit?
Worcester Polytechnic Institute does not publish standardized test ranges in the most recent reporting cycle. Scores are optional here, and a strong one can still help when the rest of the application is borderline.
How much does Worcester Polytechnic Institute actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Worcester Polytechnic Institute after grants and scholarships is $43,071 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $60,965. Budget against the net figure.
Is Worcester Polytechnic Institute realistic for my child?
Worcester Polytechnic Institute admits 62% of applicants, so the transcript and course rigour carry the decision, with no published score band to place against. Then check the $43,071 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at Worcester Polytechnic Institute?
Worcester Polytechnic Institute accepts about 62% of applicants out of roughly 12,355 who apply each year. That makes it a moderately selective school.
Is Worcester Polytechnic Institute test-optional?
Yes. Worcester Polytechnic Institute is test-optional for Fall 2027 applicants, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at Worcester Polytechnic Institute?
About 90% of students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute graduate within six years, and 83% finish in four years. 95% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does Worcester Polytechnic Institute look for in applicants?
Worcester Polytechnic Institute rates course rigor and GPA as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is Worcester Polytechnic Institute a public or private school, and where is it located?
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private nonprofit institution located in Worcester, Massachusetts.
What are the most popular majors at Worcester Polytechnic Institute?
The largest undergraduate majors at Worcester Polytechnic Institute by annual graduates are Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science and Biomedical/Medical Engineering. The school awards about 986 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Worcester Polytechnic Institute safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Worcester Polytechnic Institute reported 18 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 3.3 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at Worcester Polytechnic Institute?
At Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 44% of undergraduates live on campus, 21% of men are in fraternities, 31% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by Worcester Polytechnic Institute, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers