A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at RPI are mainly White with a small Foreign Resident population. The school has high racial diversity. 41% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.
| Race | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| White |
59%
|
| Black |
3%
|
| Hispanic |
8%
|
| Asian |
10%
|
| American Indian / Alaskan |
0%
|
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islander |
0%
|
| Two or more races |
7%
|
| International |
11%
|
| Race Unknown |
2%
|
There are 122% more male students than female students enrolled at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a gender ratio of 69% men to 31% women. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, RPI has a lower gender diversity than other US colleges and is less inclusive of females.
| Gender | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
69%
|
| Women |
31%
|
| Gender | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
4,807
|
| Women |
2,161
|
RPI serves a high number of out-of-state students with 64% of the student body residing outside of New York or from other countries.
| Origin | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| In State |
36%
|
| Out of State |
58%
|
| Foreign |
6%
|
| Unknown Location |
0%
|
17% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.
| Segment | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Students Over 25 Years Old | 1.8% |
| Part time Undergrads | 0.1% |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=194824 IPEDS survey data for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.