Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rankings

Data year Earned doctorates Full-time graduate students Total R&D expenditures Research space
Rank Percentile Institutions ranked Rank Percentile Institutions ranked Rank Percentile Institutions ranked Rank Percentile Institutions ranked
2024 141 69.7 459 164 82.5 925
2023 120 74.3 459 168 81.8 911 182 70.2 602
2022 131 71.8 457 162 82.3 900
2021 136 70 447 156 83.1 908 192 67.5 583
2020 128 72 450 152 83.7 916
2019 117 74.2 447 159 82.9 914 205 65.6 589
2018 112 74.3 428 157 83 911
2017 128 70.4 425 149 83.7 898 224 61.5 575
2016 118 73 430 148 83.7 896
2015 112 74.1 426 143 84.3 898 189 67.3 570
NOTES:
  • 1. See TableBuilder for the prior year data.
  • 2. Blank white cells indicate data not available, not applicable, or institution not eligible for survey.
  • 3. Data from the Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities is collected every two years.

Data

Number of earned doctorates, by trend major field of study of recipients: 2024–15
Fields 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
All fields 113 145 119 111 130 147 164 122 142 164
  Science and engineering 102 131 111 97 115 138 148 111 130 149
    Agricultural sciences and natural resources . . . . . . 1 . . .
      Natural resources and conservation . . . . . . 1 . . .
    Biological and biomedical sciences 7 11 9 10 5 9 14 8 11 8
      Biochemistry and biophysics 1 4 . 3 2 6 8 4 4 3
      Biology and biomedical sciences, general 2 5 6 6 . 2 1 1 4 .
      Bioinformatics, biostatistics, and computational biology . 1 . . . . 1 . . .
      Cellular and developmental biology, and anatomy . . . . . . 1 1 1 2
      Ecology, evolutionary biology, and epidemiology . . . . 1 . . 1 . 1
      Genetics and genomics . . . . . . 1 . . 1
      Microbiology and immunology . . . . 1 1 . . 1 .
      Molecular biology 2 . 1 . . . . 1 1 1
      Neurobiology and neurosciences . . 1 . . . . . . .
      Biology and biomedical sciences, other 2 1 1 1 1 . 2 . . .
    Computer and information sciences 6 18 11 7 15 14 15 11 16 17
      Computer science 5 16 11 7 15 13 13 10 15 16
      Computer and information sciences, other 1 2 . . . 1 2 1 1 1
    Engineering 63 74 74 56 66 83 87 60 72 89
      Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 6 9 9 2 6 5 9 3 1 4
      Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 12 10 4 4 5 12 9 5 4 9
      Chemical and petroleum engineering 9 15 8 10 10 7 13 13 10 15
      Civil, environmental, and transportation engineering 1 6 9 4 4 4 1 4 6 7
      Electrical and computer engineering 9 8 14 11 13 17 12 11 23 17
      Industrial engineering and operations research . 3 1 3 3 5 3 . 3 3
      Materials and mining engineering 5 10 8 7 5 12 6 9 4 15
      Mechanical engineering 16 8 15 12 13 13 26 11 18 12
      Engineering, other 5 5 6 3 7 8 8 4 3 7
    Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences . 1 . . 1 6 3 . 1 2
      Geological sciences . 1 . . 1 6 3 . 1 1
      Ocean, marine, and atmospheric sciences . . . . . . . . . 1
    Health sciences . 1 . . . . . 1 . .
      Public health . 1 . . . . . . . .
      Health sciences, other . . . . . . . 1 . .
    Mathematics and statistics 5 9 6 7 7 5 5 9 7 7
      Applied mathematics 3 6 4 3 4 4 5 6 7 6
      Mathematics . . . 1 . 1 . . . .
      Mathematics and statistics, other 2 3 2 3 3 . . 3 . 1
    Physical sciences 15 9 10 11 15 18 15 14 15 15
      Astronomy and astrophysics 2 . . . . 2 . . 1 .
      Chemistry 6 3 4 6 6 7 8 7 6 3
      Physics 7 6 6 5 9 9 7 7 8 12
    Psychology 3 7 1 2 2 . 4 2 1 4
      Counseling and applied psychology . . . . . . . . . .
      Research and experimental psychology 3 7 1 2 2 . 4 2 1 3
      Psychology, other . . . . . . . . . 1
    Social sciences 3 1 . 4 4 3 4 6 7 7
      Anthropology . . . . . . 1 . . .
      Economics . . . . . . . 1 1 4
      Sociology, demography, and population studies . . . . . . . 1 . .
      Social sciences, other 3 1 . 4 4 3 3 4 6 3
  Non-science and engineering 11 14 8 14 15 9 16 11 12 15
    Business 5 3 2 3 3 6 6 3 7 10
      Business 5 3 2 3 3 6 6 3 7 10
    Education . 1 . . . . . . . .
      Teacher education and teaching fields . 1 . . . . . . . .
    Humanities and arts 1 5 4 9 6 3 2 3 1 .
      Letters . . 1 3 1 . 1 1 . .
      Philosophy and religious studies . . . . 1 . . . . .
      Music and performing arts . 1 . . . 1 1 . . .
      Humanities and arts, other 1 4 3 6 4 2 . 2 1 .
    Other non-science and engineering 5 5 2 2 6 . 8 5 4 5
      Communication 1 2 1 1 2 . 3 1 2 2
      Non-science and engineering, other 4 3 1 1 4 . 5 4 2 3

NOTE:
  • . = data were not collected at this level or institution was not eligible to participate for this survey year.

SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Earned Doctorates

Total R&D expenditures, by field: 2024–15
(Dollars in thousands)
Field 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
  All R&D fields   140,247   121,706   121,809   119,056   122,753   103,739   100,856   104,797   101,127   102,841
    Science   60,296   44,901   51,186   42,770   44,230   39,495   37,031   37,087   32,455   32,582
      Computer and information sciences   26,248   13,075   14,752   13,145   14,686   11,282   9,830   9,062   9,089   10,392
      Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences   2,249   1,961   2,214   1,868   2,837   1,931   2,601   1,873   2,593   2,205
        Atmospheric science and meteorology   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
        Geological and earth sciences   2,249   1,961   2,214   1,868   2,837   1,931   2,601   1,873   2,593   2,015
        Ocean sciences and marine sciences   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
        Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences nec   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   190
      Life sciences   9,226   8,077   8,885   6,913   6,102   5,384   5,431   5,448   4,093   5,598
        Agricultural sciences   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
        Biological and biomedical sciences   9,226   8,077   8,885   6,913   6,102   5,384   5,431   5,448   4,093   5,598
        Health sciences   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
        Natural resources and conservation   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
        Life sciences nec   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Mathematics and statistics   2,576   3,783   3,658   2,944   2,808   2,258   1,641   1,878   1,795   1,754
      Physical sciences   13,381   12,723   15,894   12,251   12,143   15,038   14,662   16,534   11,910   9,688
        Astronomy and astrophysics   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
        Chemistry   6,635   6,945   7,599   6,355   5,704   6,393   5,560   7,338   6,178   3,689
        Materials science   74   156   702   444   0   0   0   1   0   0
        Physics   3,322   2,955   4,177   2,883   2,554   4,936   4,705   5,158   5,350   5,999
        Physical sciences nec   3,350   2,667   3,416   2,569   3,885   3,709   4,397   4,037   382   0
      Psychology   4,381   3,870   3,954   4,036   4,479   3,151   2,433   1,895   2,138   2,380
      Social sciences   2,235   1,412   1,829   1,535   1,175   451   433   397   837   565
        Anthropology   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
        Economics   1,176   840   671   624   572   139   109   47   236   377
        Political science and government   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
        Sociology, demography, and population studies   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
        Social sciences nec   1,059   572   1,158   911   603   312   324   350   601   188
      Sciences nec   0   0   0   78   0   0   0   0   0   0
    Engineering   71,966   66,158   63,146   67,810   70,156   59,831   57,190   59,446   61,452   69,540
      Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Bioengineering and biomedical engineering   11,910   10,734   8,233   9,421   6,133   5,780   6,401   5,265   6,883   7,253
      Chemical engineering   11,184   11,281   9,971   10,365   10,954   10,295   8,274   11,735   8,387   7,115
      Civil engineering   3,530   2,688   3,369   4,669   6,251   6,768   4,254   4,297   4,930   13,079
      Electrical, electronic, and communications engineering   13,756   14,000   14,865   14,323   15,077   10,945   12,413   12,452   13,800   18,821
      Industrial and manufacturing engineering   397   394   440   493   498   987   1,353   1,529   0   0
      Mechanical engineering   19,115   17,833   17,423   19,888   20,165   16,802   15,992   17,548   18,406   17,292
      Metallurgical and materials engineering   8,360   6,286   5,813   5,697   6,281   4,154   4,888   3,133   4,449   4,799
      Engineering nec   3,714   2,942   3,032   2,954   4,797   4,100   3,615   3,487   4,597   1,181
    Non-S&E   7,985   10,647   7,477   8,476   8,367   4,413   6,635   8,264   7,220   719
      Business management and business administration   2,750   5,176   2,491   2,302   89   622   959   871   957   576
      Communication and communications technologies   73   15   69   103   384   89   91   1,059   471   0
      Education   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Humanities   0   0   0   0   153   0   0   0   0   0
      Law   0   0   0   0   488   0   0   0   0   0
      Social work   0   0   0   0   16   0   0   0   0   0
      Visual and performing arts   1,348   986   947   959   1,353   322   1,055   302   352   143
      Non-S&E nec   3,814   4,470   3,970   5,112   5,884   3,380   4,530   6,032   5,440   0

NOTE:
  • . = data were not collected at this level or institution was not eligible to participate for this survey year.
  • Prior to FY 2016, expenditures for natural resources and conservation, materials science, anthropology, and industrial and manufacturing engineering were not collected separately. R&D expenditures in agricultural sciences decreased in FY 2016 because a number of disciplines previously reported in that field are now reported separately under natural resources and conservation.

SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Higher Education R&D Survey

Total R&D expenditures, by source of funds and R&D field: 2024
(Dollars in thousands)
Field All R&D expenditures Federal government State and local government Institution funds Business Nonprofit organizations All other sources
  All R&D fields   140,247   61,359   4,011   47,399   9,391   1,554   16,533
    Science   60,296   22,082   469   17,859   4,092   754   15,040
      Computer and information sciences   26,248   5,530   0   3,485   3,068   90   14,075
      Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences   2,249   1,618   1   627   0   3   0
        Atmospheric science and meteorology   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
        Geological and earth sciences   2,249   1,618   1   627   0   3   0
        Ocean sciences and marine sciences   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
        Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences nec   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Life sciences   9,226   5,485   62   2,409   164   446   660
        Agricultural sciences   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
        Biological and biomedical sciences   9,226   5,485   62   2,409   164   446   660
        Health sciences   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
        Natural resources and conservation   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
        Life sciences nec   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Mathematics and statistics   2,576   721   0   1,597   258   0   0
      Physical sciences   13,381   5,228   406   6,777   550   215   205
        Astronomy and astrophysics   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
        Chemistry   6,635   4,014   232   1,877   364   133   15
        Materials science   74   0   0   52   0   0   22
        Physics   3,322   1,214   174   1,498   186   82   168
        Physical sciences nec   3,350   0   0   3,350   0   0   0
      Psychology   4,381   3,219   0   1,014   52   0   96
      Social sciences   2,235   281   0   1,950   0   0   4
        Anthropology   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
        Economics   1,176   78   0   1,098   0   0   0
        Political science and government   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
        Sociology, demography, and population studies   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
        Social sciences nec   1,059   203   0   852   0   0   4
      Sciences nec   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
    Engineering   71,966   37,669   3,067   23,730   5,299   717   1,484
      Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Bioengineering and biomedical engineering   11,910   8,141   345   3,001   207   115   101
      Chemical engineering   11,184   6,086   647   2,981   1,434   36   0
      Civil engineering   3,530   1,440   0   1,936   18   51   85
      Electrical, electronic, and communications engineering   13,756   5,068   982   4,823   2,086   49   748
      Industrial and manufacturing engineering   397   385   0   12   0   0   0
      Mechanical engineering   19,115   12,827   135   5,507   450   0   196
      Metallurgical and materials engineering   8,360   3,282   958   2,997   654   466   3
      Engineering nec   3,714   440   0   2,473   450   0   351
    Non-S&E   7,985   1,608   475   5,810   0   83   9
      Business management and business administration   2,750   277   0   2,427   0   37   9
      Communication and communications technologies   73   0   0   73   0   0   0
      Education   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Humanities   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Law   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Social work   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Visual and performing arts   1,348   0   428   920   0   0   0
      Non-S&E nec   3,814   1,331   47   2,390   0   46   0

NOTE:
  • . = data were not collected at this level or institution was not eligible to participate for this survey year.
  • Prior to FY 2016, expenditures for natural resources and conservation, materials science, anthropology, and industrial and manufacturing engineering were not collected separately. R&D expenditures in agricultural sciences decreased in FY 2016 because a number of disciplines previously reported in that field are now reported separately under natural resources and conservation.

SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Higher Education R&D Survey

Federally funded R&D expenditures, by federal agency: 2024–15
(Dollars in thousands)
Source of funds 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
Federal Agencies   61,359   56,445   50,605   52,465   52,150   50,448   50,120   51,130   52,163   59,528
  DOD   12,252   11,163   12,091   12,484   10,332   10,182   9,939   9,149   9,129   12,136
  DOE   11,716   11,714   10,768   11,968   12,839   11,374   8,158   8,269   6,814   7,490
  HHS   17,942   14,228   11,168   11,882   11,326   10,402   10,497   12,358   11,954   12,318
  NASA   3,171   2,619   2,569   2,994   2,624   1,272   1,209   915   994   1,254
  NSF   13,462   14,273   11,939   10,817   12,507   14,907   16,797   17,115   19,697   22,331
  USDA   39   0   0   172   240   306   298   252   49   53
  Other   2,777   2,448   2,070   2,148   2,282   2,005   3,222   3,072   3,526   3,946

NOTE:
  • . = data were not collected at this level or institution was not eligible to participate for this survey year.

SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Higher Education R&D Survey

Headcount of R&D personnel: 2024–18 [temporarily discontinued]
Year
2024   .   .   .   .
2023   .   .   .   .
2022   .   .   .   .
2021   .   .   .   .
2020   .   .   .   .
2019   1,580   239   1,341   .
2018   1,636   256   1,380   .

NOTE:
  • . = data were not collected at this level or institution was not eligible to participate for this survey year.

SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Higher Education R&D Survey

Science and engineering research space in academic institutions, by field: 2023–14
(Net assignable square feet in thousands)
Field, medical school space, and research animal space 2023 2021 2019 2017 2015
  All research space   299   277   252   217   265
    Agricultural sciences   0   0   0   0   0
    Biological and biomedical sciences   4   4   4   3   3
    Computer and information sciences   9   7   4   8   11
    Engineering   222   215   201   155   205
    Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences   9   9   8   7   6
    Health sciences   0   0   0   0   0
    Mathematics and statistics   5   4   3   4   4
    Natural resources and conservation   0   0   0   0   0
    Physical sciences   24   16   14   15   24
    Psychology   7   6   4   6   2
    Social sciences   9   9   7   7   2
    Other   8   6   7   12   7

NOTE:
  • . = data were not collected at this level or institution was not eligible to participate for this survey year.
  • Data from the Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities is collected every two years.

SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities

New construction of science and engineering research space, by field and time of construction: 2025–16
(Net assignable square feet in thousands)
Field, medical school space, and research animal space Planned to start in FY 2024 or FY 2025 Started in FY 2022 or FY 2023 Started in FY 2020 or FY 2021 Started in FY 2018 or FY 2019 Started in FY 2016 or FY 2017
  All research space   0   0   0   0   0
    Agricultural sciences   0   0   0   0   0
    Biological and biomedical sciences   0   0   0   0   0
    Computer and information sciences   0   0   0   0   0
    Engineering   0   0   0   0   0
    Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences   0   0   0   0   0
    Health sciences   0   0   0   0   0
    Mathematics and statistics   0   0   0   0   0
    Natural resources and conservation   0   0   0   0   0
    Physical sciences   0   0   0   0   0
    Psychology   0   0   0   0   0
    Social sciences   0   0   0   0   0
    Other   0   0   0   0   0

NOTE:
  • . = data were not collected at this level or institution was not eligible to participate for this survey year.
  • Data from the Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities is collected every two years.

SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities

Costs for repair and renovation of science and engineering research space in academic institutions, by field and time of repair and renovation: 2025–16
(Dollars in thousands)
Field, medical school space, and research animal space Planned to start in FY 2024 or FY 2025 Started in FY 2022 or FY 2023 Started in FY 2020 or FY 2021 Started in FY 2018 or FY 2019 Started in FY 2016 or FY 2017
  All research space   0   5,522   3,194   6,776   3,030
    Agricultural sciences   0   0   0   0   0
    Biological and biomedical sciences   0   2,110   1,508   1,233   1,944
    Computer and information sciences   0   0   330   349   0
    Engineering   0   3,095   1,356   3,160   697
    Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences   0   0   0   0   0
    Health sciences   0   0   0   0   0
    Mathematics and statistics   0   0   0   0   0
    Natural resources and conservation   0   0   0   0   0
    Physical sciences   0   317   0   622   389
    Psychology   0   0   0   0   0
    Social sciences   0   0   0   1,412   0
    Other   0   0   0   0   0

NOTE:
  • . = data were not collected at this level or institution was not eligible to participate for this survey year.
  • Data from the Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities is collected every two years.

SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities