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Williams Tufts Swarthmore Middlebury Pratt Institute Dartmouth Brown Vassar Harvard Hamilton College Wellesley Cornell| Amherst College | Rhode Island School of Design | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Amherst | RISD | ||
| Location | Amherst, MA | Providence, RI | ||
| Setting | Town Fringe | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,898 | 2,620 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #16 | #96 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | amherst.edu | risd.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Amherst | RISD | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,500 | $56,435 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,500 | $56,435 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,750 | $15,234 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $21,367 | $39,800 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $58,693 | $37,480 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 58% | 34% |
Admission |
Amherst | RISD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 14,864 | 5,099 | ||
| Admitted | 1,079 | 888 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 7.3% | 17.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 43.3% | 54.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.91 | 3.71 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 32/35 | 29/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1420/1550 | 1340/1525 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 2, 2025 | Feb 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Amherst | RISD | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 7:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Amherst | RISD | ||
| Graduation Rate | 96% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $82,000 | $51,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 83% | 89% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $12,975 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $134 | $279 |
Diversity |
Amherst | RISD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 48% | 33% | ||
| % Women | 52% | 67% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 42% | 31% | ||
| % Black | 12% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 13% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 10% | 26% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 8% |
Students |
Amherst | RISD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 13% | 1% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 74% | 58% | ||
Campus |
Amherst | RISD | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Rhode Island School of Design is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (2,620 students vs. 1,898 students)
Amherst vs. RISD Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Amherst or RISD?
- Amherst College is 12.5% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $56,435.00)
- Out of state tuition is 12.5% higher at Amherst than Rhode Island School of Design ($63,500.00 vs. $56,435.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than RISD ($21,367 vs. $39,800)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 10% lower than costs at Amherst College ($15,234 vs. $16,750)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Amherst College than Rhode Island School of Design (58% vs. 34%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 56.6% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($58,693 vs. $37,480)
Amherst vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Amherst or RISD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between RISD or Amherst .
- The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 178 points higher than at RISD (1273)
- Incoming Amherst students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at RISD (29)
- Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at RISD (3.71)
- RISD has a higher acceptance rate (17.4%) than Amherst (7.3%)
Amherst vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Amherst or RISD? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between RISD and Amherst.
- The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Rhode Island School of Design (96% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $30,900 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $51,100)
- Amherst College students graduate with a $14,025 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($12,975 vs. $27,000)
- Amherst graduates are paying $145 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($134 vs. $279)
- More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Amherst students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 83%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/