ROTC at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY · private nonprofit
Yes — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute hosts Navy and Air Force ROTC on campus, and students join Army ROTC at Siena College through cross-town agreements.
ROTC programs hosted on campus
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute hosts 2 ROTC programs on its own campus. Open a program to see its full profile, scholarships, and partner schools.
Navy/Marine ROTCHostedVerifiedSince 1941, NROTC Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has run NROTC at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York.
Scholarships: NROTC Navy Option 4-Year Scholarship, NROTC Marine Option 4-Year Scholarship
Also serves 2 cross-town schools.
View full Navy
Air Force/Space Force ROTCHostedVerifiedSince 1947, Detachment 550 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has run AFROTC at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York.
Scholarships: AFROTC HSSP Type 2 ($18k cap), AFROTC In-College Scholarship Program, AFROTC HSSP Type 4 ($36k cap) +1 more
Also serves 21 cross-town schools.
View full Air ForceCross-town & partner options
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students can also join these branches. They travel to the partner school for training.
Army ROTCCross-town · 3.9 miCross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Siena College.
ROTC outcomes
Students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in ROTC, from any branch and any unit. Averages per academic year, AY2011–AY2021.
- About 30 officers commissioned per year, all services
- About 44 students start ROTC here each year
Officers commissioned, by group
- Women21%
- Men79%
- White79%
Groups under 5 people a year are not shown.
Students starting ROTC, by group
- Women20%
- Men80%
- White74%
Groups under 5 people a year are not shown.
Source: GAO, GAO-23-105857 (campus data, AY2011–AY2021). GAO counted cadets and commissions by the school the student attended. Numbers for recent years can differ.
Admissions
| Admission rate | 63% |
|---|---|
| SAT range (25th–75th) | 1,375–1,510 |
| ACT range (25th–75th) | 30–34 |
| Test policy | Test-optional |
These are the most recent College Scorecard figures. The school decides admission. An ROTC scholarship board judges your academics on its own, in a separate process.
Cost & financial aid (with ROTC)
| In-state tuition | $64,081 |
|---|---|
| Out-of-state tuition | $64,081 |
| Average net price | $32,000 |
| 6-year graduation rate | 84% |
Tuition and net price: College Scorecard. You can usually combine an ROTC scholarship with other aid from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Ask the unit and the financial aid office to confirm how the aid combines.
Academic programs
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has 5,714 undergraduates. ROTC cadets can study almost any major. Some scholarships and commissioning options prefer certain fields.
Yellow Ribbon & veteran support
Yellow Ribbon is a GI Bill benefit for veterans and eligible dependents, not an ROTC scholarship. The school pays part of the tuition above the GI Bill cap, and VA matches it.
Yellow Ribbon: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute takes part.
| Level | Program | School pays (per year) |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | All programs | Up to $40,000 |
| Graduate | All programs | Up to $40,000 |
| Doctorate | All programs | Up to $40,000 |
Source: VA GI Bill Comparison Tool, checked Oct 14, 2026. Confirm amounts with the school's veterans office before you enroll.
ROTC at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: FAQ
Does Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have ROTC?
Yes — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute hosts Navy and Air Force ROTC on campus, and students join Army ROTC at Siena College through cross-town agreements.
Which ROTC branches can Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students join?
Army ROTC (cross-town at Siena College, 4 mi), Navy ROTC (on campus, NROTC Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) and Air Force ROTC (on campus, Detachment 550 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute).
Is ROTC at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on campus or cross-town?
Navy and Air Force ROTC are on campus: the unit is based at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Army ROTC is cross-town: cadets enroll at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and train with the unit at Siena College.
Can I use an ROTC scholarship at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
Yes. The on-campus Navy and Air Force ROTC units list 6 scholarship types, including NROTC Navy Option 4-Year Scholarship and NROTC Marine Option 4-Year Scholarship.
School links and location
These links belong to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. To ask about an ROTC program, open that program above and use the unit's own contact details. ROTCScholar is not the school and not the unit.
- Official site
rpi.edu
- Admissions
admissions.rpi.edu
- Apply
admissions.rpi.edu
- Financial aid
admissions.rpi.edu
- Net price calculator
Estimate your cost before ROTC money is applied
- Veteran & military services
Campus office for GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon, and military students
Location: Troy, NY 12180-3590
IPEDS UNITID: 194824
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