Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) vs FSU Poly

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and Florida Polytechnic University (FPU) are two distinct institutions of higher learning that offer unique educational experiences. WPI, located in Worcester, Massachusetts, is a private research university with a long history of academic excellence, while FPU, situated in Lakeland, Florida, is a public university focused on STEM education and innovation. Both universities boast strong academic programs, but they differ in several key aspects, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. This side-by-side comparison will delve into these differences, providing valuable insights for prospective students seeking the best fit for their academic and personal goals.

	Florida Polytechnic University	Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Overview
Location	Lakeland, Florida	Worcester, Massachusetts
Campus setting	Rural: Fringe	City: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	70.0%	94.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	54.6%	60.2%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $30 Graduate: $30	$70
SAT range	1183 - 1370	N/A
ACT range	26 - 31	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	90.0%
Students submitting ACT score	49.0%
Total number of applicants	2,124	11,092
Total number of admissions given out	1,159	6,679
Admitted students who chose to enroll	398	1,410
Yield rate	34.3%	21.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Not required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $21,611 Out of state: $37,676	$74,271
Average net price	$9,376	$48,230
Tuition	$3,152	$54,640
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,941 Meal plan: $4,276	Room/dormitory: $9,250 Meal plan: $7,030
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $10,409	98.0% Average amount $23,821
Students receiving federal student loan	67.0% Average amount $2,226	51.0% Average amount $5,212
Students taking out private loans	2.0% Average amount $9,664	39.0% Average amount $13,871

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,479 Men 82.8% Women 17.2%	5,224 Men 60.3% Women 39.7%
Graduate students	84 Men 83.3% Women 16.7%	2,006 Men 68.8% Women 31.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	2.8%	13.4%
Campus local/setting	Rural: Fringe	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	800	2,508
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Connecticut New York New Hampshire New Jersey Rhode Island

Academics
Popular study areas	Engineering Computer and Information Science Multidisciplinary Studies Business Mathematics and Statistics	Engineering Computer and Information Science Multidisciplinary Studies Business Mathematics and Statistics
Students to faculty ratio	18:1	14:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	55.6%	87.2%
Dropout rate	42.9%	12.2%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Computer Software and Media Applications (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $56,731 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $52,501 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $111,634 Year 2: $119,061 Year 3: $127,598 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $97,509 Year 2: $96,405 Year 3: $113,831 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $86,601 Year 2: $95,207 Year 3: $109,222 Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $100,114 Year 2: $97,959 Year 3: $101,375 Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $86,644 Year 2: $79,598 Year 3: $91,716 Engineering, Other (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $82,311 Year 2: $78,814 Year 3: $91,318 Engineering, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $79,688 Year 3: $91,034 Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $72,720 Year 2: $76,460 Year 3: $82,909 Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,868 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $81,510 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $74,310 Year 2: $72,507 Year 3: $80,789

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