Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, MA 01609-2280
About Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private research university in Worcester, Massachusetts, serving roughly 5,447 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 60.16% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $103,470 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute charges about 2.1× the national private non-profit median tuition ($60,965).
- Versus the Massachusetts median, sticker tuition is about 1.8×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 89.71%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $103,470.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 501% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
Worcester Polytechnic Institute awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 55 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | $60,965 | $43,071 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| Massachusetts (state median) | $34,256 | $12,244 | 93 |
| Suburban (locale median) | $13,135 | $18,048 | 684 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 29% below published tuition at Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Key findings
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute's average net price ($43,071) is 29% below published tuition ($60,965).
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute charges about 2.1× the national private non-profit median tuition ($60,965).
- Versus the Massachusetts median, sticker tuition is about 1.8×.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $60,965
Finding Worcester Polytechnic Institute charges about 2.1× the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $60,965. That is about 2.1× the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the Massachusetts median ($34,256), sticker tuition is about 1.8×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 5.1×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Worcester Polytechnic Institute versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Worcester Polytechnic Institute versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is $43,071.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $43,071 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $30,827 above the Massachusetts median net price. Versus suburban campuses, net price runs $25,023 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 29% lower after grants and scholarships.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Worcester Polytechnic Institute—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$60,965
Avg. net price
$43,071
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $24,018 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $24,452 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $32,350 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $37,753 |
| $110,001+ | $49,716 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $243,860. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Worcester Polytechnic Institute is known for
Top program completions
- Computer Science351
- Mechanical Engineering297
- Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering235
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering175
- Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering149
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 20% of admitted students enrolled.
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Worcester Polytechnic Institute a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Campus
Location
Worcester, MA
City / state
- ZIP
- 01609-2280
- NCES locale
- Suburb
Compared with Suburban campuses nationally, net price is about 2.4× the median for Suburban campuses ($18,048 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- New England
- Carnegie
- Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity
Size
Enrollment
5,447
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 5,976
- Graduate
- 2,026
- Full-time share
- 98%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$27,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 11.88%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Worcester Polytechnic Institute in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $42,778 | $42,778 | $35,483 |
| 2014 | $44,222 | $44,222 | $35,187 |
| 2015 | $45,590 | $45,590 | $37,002 |
| 2016 | $46,994 | $46,994 | $38,137 |
| 2017 | $48,628 | $48,628 | $40,376 |
| 2018 | $50,530 | $50,530 | $41,390 |
| 2019 | $52,320 | $52,320 | $39,756 |
| 2020 | $54,416 | $54,416 | $42,835 |
| 2021 | $55,731 | $55,731 | $45,005 |
| 2022 | $57,096 | $57,096 | $44,100 |
| 2023 | $59,070 | $59,070 | $43,273 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Worcester Polytechnic Institute reported total enrollment of about 5,447 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 67% male and 33% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (64.2%), Asian (12.6%), and Hispanic or Latino (8.5%). About 11.88% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 13.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
97.9% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2024 is 5,447 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 5,976 students. Graduate enrollment is about 2,026 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
93.7%
2024 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.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
84.45% 100% Completion Time
89.71% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 84.45% of students graduating from Worcester Polytechnic Institute completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Computer Science: 80% male / 20% female
- Mechanical Engineering: 74% male / 26% female
- Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering: 81% male / 19% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute graduates earn a median of $103,470 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $103,470. Median federal loan debt: $27,000. Average net price used in cost models: $43,071.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Worcester Polytechnic Institute graduates report median earnings of $103,470 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (55 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Worcester Polytechnic Institute graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Worcester Polytechnic Institute—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$631M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Massachusetts median 10× the median ($62.1M)
- New England median 15× the median ($42.9M)
- U.S. median 24× the median ($26.4M)
- Massachusetts median 3.1× the median ($30,011)
- New England median 3.9× the median ($23,268)
- U.S. median 7.6× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 82.8%
- Massachusetts median 31.7 pp above median (51.1%)
- New England median 29.6 pp above median (53.3%)
- U.S. median 24.9 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $13,376
- Massachusetts median 1.4× the median ($9,649)
- New England median 1.4× the median ($9,262)
- U.S. median 1.8× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $21,636
- Massachusetts median 1.9× the median ($11,192)
- New England median 2.1× the median ($10,182)
- U.S. median 3.0× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute at a glance
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private non-profit institution in Worcester, MA, classified as Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Computer ScienceMechanical EngineeringMechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian64.2%Asian12.6%Hispanic or Latino8.5%
Schools near Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Other campuses in Worcester, MA when available, plus nearby institutions in Massachusetts.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade A) within Massachusetts, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Worcester Polytechnic Institute located?
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is located in Worcester, MA.
What is Worcester Polytechnic Institute's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is 60.2% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 11,809 applicants and 6,908 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Worcester Polytechnic Institute's tuition?
Worcester Polytechnic Institute tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $60,965 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $43,071 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Worcester Polytechnic Institute cost?
Reported tuition is $60,965 and average net price is $43,071 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $18,386 annually.
Why is Worcester Polytechnic Institute's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Worcester Polytechnic Institute, published tuition is $60,965 while average net price is $43,071—about 29% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Worcester Polytechnic Institute's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($43,071), completion (89.7% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($103,470). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Worcester Polytechnic Institute?
Worcester Polytechnic Institute reports undergraduate enrollment of about 5,976 students, White (64.2%), Asian (12.6%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute?
About 13.4% of students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Worcester Polytechnic Institute earn?
Median earnings are $85,038 six years after entry and $103,470 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Worcester Polytechnic Institute?
The 150%-time completion rate is 89.7% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Worcester Polytechnic Institute students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $27,000.
Is Worcester Polytechnic Institute public or private?
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private nonprofit institution located in Worcester, MA.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.