Babson vs. RISD

Deciding between Babson College and Rhode Island School of Design? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Babson College
Rhode Island School of Design

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Babson Wellesley, MA
  • RISD Providence, RI
  • Setting
  • Babson Large Suburban
  • RISD Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Babson 3,932
  • RISD 2,520
  • Type
  • Babson Private 4 Year
  • RISD Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Babson #108
  • RISD #92
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Babson -
  • RISD -
  • Status
  • Babson Non-profit
  • RISD Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Babson
  • RISD

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Babson $57,152
  • RISD $62,688
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Babson $57,152
  • RISD $62,688
  • Room & Board
  • Babson $21,550
  • RISD $16,626
  • Average Net Price
  • Babson $32,019
  • RISD $43,492
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Babson $48,173
  • RISD $38,223
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Babson 39%
  • RISD 31%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Babson 9,381
  • RISD 6,692
  • Admitted
  • Babson 1,603
  • RISD 1,249
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Babson 17.1%
  • RISD 18.7%
  • Enrolled
  • Babson 39%
  • RISD 41.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Babson 1460
  • RISD 1460
  • Typical ACT score
  • Babson 32
  • RISD 32
  • Average High School GPA
  • Babson 3.79
  • RISD 3.71
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Babson A-
  • RISD A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Babson Exceptional
  • RISD Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Babson Very High
  • RISD Very High
  • ACT Range
  • Babson 31/34
  • RISD 31/34
  • SAT Range
  • Babson 1390/1530
  • RISD 1396/1530
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Babson Test optional
  • RISD Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Babson Jan 3, 2027
  • RISD Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Babson 15:1
  • RISD 8:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Babson
    • Business (100%)
  • RISD
    • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
    • Architecture (18%)
    • Work and Family Studies (5%)
    • Precision Production Trades (4%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Babson 90%
  • RISD 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Babson $108,500
  • RISD $51,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Babson 88%
  • RISD 89%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Babson $26,000
  • RISD $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Babson $268
  • RISD $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Babson 57%
  • RISD 29%
  • % Women
  • Babson 43%
  • RISD 71%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Babson Very High
  • RISD Very High
  • HBCU
  • Babson No
  • RISD No
  • % White
  • Babson 38%
  • RISD 31%
  • % Asian
  • Babson 12%
  • RISD 19%
  • % Black
  • Babson 5%
  • RISD 2%
  • % Hispanic
  • Babson 10%
  • RISD 8%
  • % Native American
  • Babson 0%
  • RISD 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Babson 0%
  • RISD 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Babson 2%
  • RISD 4%
  • % International
  • Babson 26%
  • RISD 26%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Babson 6%
  • RISD 8%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Babson 18%
  • RISD 2%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Babson 53%
  • RISD 55%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Babson Yes
  • RISD Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Babson No
  • RISD No
  • Meal Plan
  • Babson Yes
  • RISD Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Babson No
  • RISD No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Babson No
  • RISD No

Comparable Facts

Compare Babson College in Wellesley, MA with Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Babson College is larger than RISD based on total student enrollment (3,932 students vs. 2,520 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Babson College is located in Wellesley, MA (Large Suburban setting); Rhode Island School of Design is in Providence, RI (Midsize City setting).
  • Babson College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Rhode Island School of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Babson College 15:1; Rhode Island School of Design 8:1.

Babson vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Babson or RISD? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Babson College than RISD ($32,019 vs. $43,492).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 22.8% lower than at Babson College ($16,626 vs. $21,550).
  • Rhode Island School of Design is 9.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Babson (about $5,536 more per year; $62,688.00 vs. $57,152.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 9.7% higher at RISD than at Babson College (about $5,536 more per year; $62,688.00 vs. $57,152.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Babson College than at Rhode Island School of Design (39% vs. 31%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Babson College students is 26% larger than aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students ($48,173 vs. $38,223).

Babson vs. RISD Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Babson or RISD? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between RISD and Babson.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Babson College (1460) is the same as at RISD (1460).
  • Incoming Babson students have the same typical ACT composite (median estimate; 32) as students at RISD (32).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Babson College 1390/1530; Rhode Island School of Design 1396/1530.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Babson College 31/34; Rhode Island School of Design 31/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Babson - Test optional; RISD - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Babson Jan 3, 2027; RISD Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Babson students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at RISD (3.71).
  • RISD has a higher acceptance rate (18.7%) than Babson (17.1%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 39% at Babson vs. 41.5% at RISD.

Babson vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Babson and RISD? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Babson College's six-year graduation rate (90%) is higher than Rhode Island School of Design's (87%).
  • Graduates from Babson College earn a median of about $57,400 more per year than RISD graduates about ten years after starting college ($108,500 vs. $51,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Babson College graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than RISD graduates ($26,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Babson graduates have an estimated $11 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than RISD graduates ($268 vs. $279).
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Babson students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 88%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.