Worcester Polytechnic Institute

https://www.wpi.edu/

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2020 Undergraduate Tuition

$53,100

2.9% growth from 2019

2020 Average Net Price

$45,834

After Financial Aid

2018 Student Loan

1.15%

Default Rate

2020 Acceptance Rate

59%

11,269 Applicants

2020 Enrolled Students

6,920

78.5% Full-Time

2020 Graduation Rate

89%

938 Graduates

About

Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a higher education institution located in Worcester County, MA. In 2020, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Worcester Polytechnic Institute were Mechanical Engineering (262 degrees awarded), Computer Science (201 degrees), and Bioengineering & Biomedical Engineering (100 degrees).

In 2020, 1,945 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 32.9% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 67.1% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (1,132 degrees), 8.84 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (128 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is $53,100, which is $24,537 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is $53,100, which is $24,537 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $45,834.

In 2020, 94% of undergraduate students attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 53% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$53,100

2020 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2020, the cost of tuition at Worcester Polytechnic Institute was $53,100. The cost of tuition at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is $24,537 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$45,834

2020 Value

8.12%

1 Year Growth

In 2020 Worcester Polytechnic Institute had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $45,834. Between 2019 and 2020, the average net price of Worcester Polytechnic Institute grew by 8.12%.

This chart compares the average net price of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$15,038

Room and Board

$1,000

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Worcester Polytechnic Institute was of $15,038 in 2020. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,000. The cost of room and board increased by 3.74% between 2019 and 2020. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

94%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

53%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

94% of undergraduate students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute received financial aid through grants or loans in 2020. This represents a growth of 1.08% with respect to 2019, when 93% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

1.15%

2018 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2018 the default rate for borrower's at Worcester Polytechnic Institute was 1.15%, which represents 10 out of the 871 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Worcester Polytechnic Institute received 11,269 undergraduate applications in 2020, which represents a 5.86% annual growth. Out of those 11,269 applicants, 6,654 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 59% acceptance rate.

There were 6,920 students enrolled at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2020, and N/A% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute has an overall enrollment yield of 19.4%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

59%

Acceptance Rate in 2020

6,654

Accepted Out of 11,269

In 2020, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute was 59% (6,654 admissions from 11,269 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2019, which was 49.4%. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of applicants grew by 5.86%, while admissions grew by 26.6%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

N/A%

Submission Percentage

N/A

Scores Submitted

N/A% of enrolled first-time students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Worcester Polytechnic Institute has a total enrollment of 6,920 students. The full-time enrollment at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is 5,429 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,491. This means that 78.5% of students enrolled at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, both undergraduate and graduate, is 58.6% White, 7.92% Hispanic or Latino, 7.28% Asian, 3.03% Black or African American, 2.8% Two or More Races, 0.101% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0578% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (37.8%), followed by White Female (25.4%) and Hispanic or Latino Male (5.61%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Male (22.2%), followed by White Female (9.44%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (2.22%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

78.5%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, both undergraduate and graduate, is 6,920 students. The full-time enrollment at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is 5,429 and the part-time enrollment is 1,491. This means that 78.5% of students enrolled at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are enrolled full-time compared with 76.5% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

95%

2020 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Worcester Polytechnic Institute was 95%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (85%), Worcester Polytechnic Institute had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

White
4,058
Hispanic or Latino
548
Asian
504

The enrolled student population at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is 58.6% White, 7.92% Hispanic or Latino, 7.28% Asian, 3.03% Black or African American, 2.8% Two or More Races, 0.101% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0578% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 50% White, 15% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.69% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 391 students (5.65%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2020, 667 fewer women than men received degrees from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is white (1,132 degrees awarded). There were 8.84 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (128 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is Mechanical Engineering (262 degrees awarded), followed by Computer Science (201 degrees) and Bioengineering & Biomedical Engineering (100 degrees).

The most specialized majors across all degree types at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Engineering (1,209 degrees awarded), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (311 degrees), and Math & Statistics (54 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Software developers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are Software developers (852,973 people), Other managers (505,510 people), Physicians (441,199 people), Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (350,828 people), and Civil engineers (257,597 people).

The most specialized majors at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are Engineering (1,209 degrees awarded), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (311 degrees), Math & Statistics (54 degrees), Interdisciplinary Studies (98 degrees), and Biology (85 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are Surgeons, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Physicians, and Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists

Common Industries by Major

Computer Systems Design

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are Computer Systems Design (983,804 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (619,864 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (544,461 people), Architectural, engineering & related services (469,068 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (416,877 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Most Common

Mechanical Engineering
262 degree-majorss awarded
Computer Science
201 degree-majorss awarded
Bioengineering & Biomedical Engineering
100 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Worcester Polytechnic Institute was Mechanical Engineering with 262 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

1,306

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2020

639

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2020

In 2020, 1,306 degrees were awarded to men at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, which is 2.04 times more than the number of degrees awarded to females (639).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Worcester Polytechnic Institute by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2020, 243 degrees were awarded to men at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Mechanical Engineering, which is 2.36 times more than the 103 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2020, 103 degrees were awarded to women at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Mechanical Engineering, which is 0.424 times less than the 243 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

82%

100% Completion Time

87%

150% Completion Time

In 2020, 82% of students graduating from Worcester Polytechnic Institute completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 87% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 88% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.4%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 2.67% of graduates (25 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
1,132 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
128 degrees awarded
Unknown
99 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is white (1,132 degrees awarded). There were 8.84 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (128 degrees).

5.09% of degree recipients (99 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic

White Male
773 degrees awarded
White Female
359 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Male
70 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is white male (773 degrees awarded). There were 2.15 times more white male recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (359 degrees).

Operations

Worcester Polytechnic Institute has an endowment valued at nearly $506M, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $−NaNM (−1.36%), compared to the 3.43% average return ($10.5M on $307M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2020, Worcester Polytechnic Institute had a total salary expenditure of $294M. Worcester Polytechnic Institute employs 139 Instructors, 114 Professors, and 83 Associate professors. Most academics at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are Male Instructors (97), Male Professors(86), and Male Associate professors (60).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are: Office and Administrative Support, with 141 employees, Business and Financial Operations, with 116 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 115 employees.

Endowment

$506M

2020 Endowment

4.31%

decline from 2019

Worcester Polytechnic Institute has an endowment valued at about $506M, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The endowment of Worcester Polytechnic Institute declined 4.31% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $199M higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$32.9M - Federal
$1.68M - State
$0 - Local

As of 2020, Worcester Polytechnic Institute received $32.9M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $1.68M from state grants and contracts, and $0 from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$142M

2020 Salaries

8.74%

growth from 2019

In 2020, Worcester Polytechnic Institute paid a median of $142M in salaries, which represents 48.3% of their overall expenditure ($294M) and a 8.74% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 7.06% growth from 2018 and a 6.1% growth from 2017.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 238M (42.6% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$46.9M

Instructional Salaries

408

Number of Employees

In 2020, Worcester Polytechnic Institute paid a total of $46.9M to 408 employees working as instructors, which represents 33% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $70.3M (29.6%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Instructor

Most Common Instructor

139 Employees

Office and Administrative Support

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

141 Employees

In 2020, the most common positions for instructional staff at Worcester Polytechnic Institute were Instructor with 139 employees; Professor with 114 employees; and Professor with 83 employees.

In 2020, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Worcester Polytechnic Institute were Office and Administrative Support with 141 employees; Business and Financial Operations with 116 employees; and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 115 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic

Male Instructor
Male Professor
Male Associate professor

In 2020, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Worcester Polytechnic Institute was Male Instructor with 97 employees, Male Professor with 86 employees, and Male Associate professor with 60 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.