RPI
RPI SAT and ACT Requirements
RPI is test-optional for the 2026-27 cycle. The middle 50% of enrolled first-year students scored 1375 to 1510 on the SAT and 30 to 34 on the ACT.
2026-27 policy
Test-Optional
SAT middle 50%
1375–1510
ACT middle 50%
30–34
Acceptance rate
64%
RPI SAT scores by section
| Section | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 670 | 740 |
| Math | 705 | 770 |
| Total | 1375 | 1510 |
| ACT Composite | 30 | 34 |
The total is the sum of the section percentiles, the standard way to estimate a middle 50% for the combined score.
Where your score puts you
- Below 1375: lower than three quarters of enrolled students. A retake has the most upside here, and at a test-optional school you can also leave the score off.
- 1375 to 1510: in line with the class. The rest of your application decides it.
- Above 1510: higher than three quarters of enrolled students. Testing is no longer what holds the application back.
Keep these numbers
Frequently asked questions
Does RPI require the SAT or ACT?
RPI is test-optional for the 2026-27 cycle. Official policy: 'Any student who applies to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as an undergraduate in the fall of 2027 will be able to choose whether or not to submit SAT or ACT scores.' Exception: applicants to the Physician-Scientist (B.S./M.D.) Program must submit official test scores. No changes announced beyond the 2027 cycle.
What SAT score do you need for RPI?
The published range is not a cutoff. Among enrolled first-year students, a quarter scored below 1375, half scored between 1375 and 1510, and a quarter scored above 1510. A score at or above 1510 puts you ahead of most of the class on testing; a score below 1375 works against you.
What ACT score do you need for RPI?
The middle 50% of enrolled students scored 30 to 34 on the ACT. On the official conversion table that is an SAT 1370 to 1500.
Score ranges: College Scorecard API — U.S. Department of Education (api.data.gov) and Editorial overrides layer (overrides.json) — Common Data Set & institutional sources. They describe students who enrolled, not everyone admitted. Test policy: RPI admissions, verified for 2026-27.
