Art Center College of Design vs. RISD

Should I go to Art Center College of Design or Rhode Island School of Design? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Art Center College of Design or RISD is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Pratt Institute CalArts MICA Yale Cooper Union Syracuse Harvard Carnegie Mellon Cornell SCAD UD NYU
Art Center College of Design vs. Rhode Island School of Design comparison
Art Center College of Design Rhode Island School of Design College 3 College 4
Art Center College of Design Rhode Island School of Design
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Art Center College of Design RISD
Location Pasadena, CA Providence, RI
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 2,420 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website artcenter.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Art Center College of Design RISD
Tuition (In State) $48,942 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $48,942 $56,435
Room & Board $14,338 $15,234
Avg Net Price $53,617 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $16,665 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 34%

Admission

 Art Center College of Design RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,285 5,099
Admitted 912 888
Acceptance Rate 71% 17.4%
Enrolled % 31.8% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA - 3.71
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 29/33
SAT Range 1340/1525
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Art Center College of Design RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (87%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Communications Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (3%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 Art Center College of Design RISD
Graduation Rate 54% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,300 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,250 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $323 $279

Diversity

 Art Center College of Design RISD
% Men 43% 33%
% Women 57% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 18% 31%
% Black 1% 2%
% Hispanic 12% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 27% 26%
% Unknown Race 1% 8%

Students

 Art Center College of Design RISD
% In-State 45% 1%
% Out-of-State 8% 58%

Campus

 Art Center College of Design RISD
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No 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 Art Center College of Design based on total student enrollment (2,620 students vs. 2,420 students)

Art Center College of Design vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or RISD?

  • Rhode Island School of Design is 15.3% more expensive to attend than Art Center College of Design for in-state tuition ($56,435.00 vs. $48,942.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.3% higher at RISD than Art Center College of Design ($56,435.00 vs. $48,942.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rhode Island School of Design than Art Center College of Design ($39,800 vs. $53,617)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Art Center College of Design are 6.2% lower than costs at Rhode Island School of Design ($14,338 vs. $15,234)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Art Center College of Design than Rhode Island School of Design (56% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students is 124.9% larger than aid received Art Center College of Design ($37,480 vs. $16,665)

Art Center College of Design vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Art Center College of Design or RISD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between RISD or Art Center College of Design .

  • Art Center College of Design has a higher acceptance rate (71%) than RISD (17.4%)

Art Center College of Design vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Art Center College of Design 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 Art Center College of Design.

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than Art Center College of Design (87% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Art Center College of Design earn on average $7,200 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($58,300 vs. $51,100)
  • Rhode Island School of Design students graduate with a $4,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates. ($27,000 vs. $31,250)
  • RISD graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than Art Center College of Design graduates. ($279 vs. $323)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Art Center College of Design students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 73%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/