About
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".
Admissions & acceptance rate
First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 5.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 120 Title IV programs, 23 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 97 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing23 · 19.2%
- No Data97 · 80.8%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
New England Commission of Higher Education
Action history · 2
- Mar 2022Renewal of AccreditationNew England Commission of Higher Education
- Sep 2012Renewal of AccreditationNew England Commission of Higher Education
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 822 students received $5.0M in Pell grants, alongside $32.6M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 835 borrowers who entered repayment, 5 (0.5%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at WPI
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 11
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus16
- Non-campus4
- Public property2
Includes 4 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
- Gender identity2
- Sexual orientation1
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
- East Hall1 fireCookingDamage $0-$99
- Faraday Hall2 firesCookingDamage $0-$99
- Faraday Hall2 firesCookingDamage $0-$99
- WPI Town Houses1 fireCookingDamage $0-$99
- Williams House1 fireHeating equipmentDamage $0-$99
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
WPI vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions WPI selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectWorcester Polytechnic Institute | 90% | — | 7,584 | $43,273 | R2 Research |
Carnegie Mellon University | 94% | 11.7% | 15,888 | $31,671 | R1 Research |
Clarkson University | 75% | 77.4% | 3,348 | $31,955 | R2 Research |
Illinois Institute of Technology | 75% | 54.9% | 8,834 | $19,353 | R2 Research |
Lehigh University | 88% | 25.9% | 7,692 | $33,549 | R2 Research |
Loyola Marymount University | 79% | 45.1% | 10,179 | $45,723 | R2 Research |
Northeastern University | 91% | 5.2% | 32,553 | $32,116 | R1 Research |
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 84% | 63.5% | 7,040 | $33,139 | R1 Research |
Rice University | 95% | 8.0% | 8,961 | $12,640 | R1 Research |
Rochester Institute of Technology | 71% | 66.9% | 17,098 | $29,694 | R2 Research |
Stevens Institute of Technology | 87% | 47.6% | 8,469 | $40,468 | R2 Research |
Syracuse University | 84% | 45.9% | 22,589 | $41,026 | R1 Research |
Villanova University | 92% | 27.0% | 10,041 | $44,876 | R2 Research |
| Peer group median | 87% | 45.5% | 8,961 | $33,139 |
WPI Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
IRAA is the university’s trusted source for accurate, timely, and well‑governed institutional data. We ensure information is consistent, reliable, and actionable across reporting, academic operations, and evidence‑based decision‑making.
Visit IR office page- Elissa LuExecutive Director of Institutional Research & Assessment
Common Data Set (1)
The institution's official annual Common Data Set publications — the most detailed reference for enrollment, admissions, and outcomes.
Reports & documents (6)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DashboardDashboardwpi.edu
- Data dictionaryData Organization & Documentation - Data Management and Record Keeping - Guides at Worcester Polytechnic Institute2025This guide from Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Gordon Library provides tools, tips, and checklists for effective data management and record-keeping. It covers crucial aspects such as data organization principles, metadata, file naming conventions, and data documentation to assist researchers and students in developing a structured approach to managing data. This resource also highlights the importance of metadata, data dictionaries, and adherence to metadata standards for data sharing and retrieval.libguides.wpi.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- Factbook2016 Fact Book2016The 2016 Fact Book of Worcester Polytechnic Institute provides comprehensive data on student enrollment, retention, admissions, and graduation statistics at the institute. It details undergraduate and graduate enrollment profiles, segmented by gender, race/ethnicity, and major, alongside domestic and international student distributions. The document also covers first-time freshmen admissions data from 2012 to 2016, including retention and graduation rates of class cohorts. Additionally, it provides insights into transfer admissions and the academic progress of students across various departments through productivity measures such as declared majors and completions.wpi.edu
- FactbookWorcester Polytechnic Institute Factbook1997The 1997 Factbook for Worcester Polytechnic Institute provides detailed information on key institutional metrics, including total enrollment, graduation rates, and faculty count, compiled by the Office of Institutional Research.wpi.edu
- Strategic planLEAD WITH PURPOSE The Strategic Plan for WPI2023Worcester Polytechnic Institute's strategic plan, 'Lead with Purpose', focuses on enhancing student well-being, expanding inclusive excellence, and evolving STEM education. The plan emphasizes reducing financial barriers and increasing diversity through initiatives like the Center for Well-Being and enhanced recruitment of BIPOC students. Additionally, the strategic plan aims to integrate online learning into its STEM curriculum and foster an inclusive community through professional development and engaging in WPI's mission and values.wpi.edu
Notable alumni of WPI (11)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Todd AkinPolitics
- Paul AllaireBusiness
- Harold Stephen BlackEngineering
- Giovanni CapriglionePolitics
- Curtis CarlsonBusiness
- David GewirtzJournalism
- Robert H. GoddardEngineering
- Elwood HaynesEngineering
- Dean KamenEngineering and Invention
- Naveen SelvaduraiTechnology
- James SmithEducation and Engineering
Frequently asked questions about Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about WPI.
What is the graduation rate at Worcester Polytechnic Institute?
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Who runs Institutional Research at Worcester Polytechnic Institute?
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