Bard College vs. RISD

Should I go to Bard College or Rhode Island School of Design? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bard College 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.
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Bard College vs. Rhode Island School of Design comparison
Bard College Rhode Island School of Design College 3 College 4
Bard College Rhode Island School of Design
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Overview

 Bard College RISD
Location Annandale-On-Hudson, NY Providence, RI
Setting Town Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 2,922 2,540
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #180 #90
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bard.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bard College RISD
Tuition (In State) $62,790 $58,690
Tuition (Out of State) $62,790 $58,690
Room & Board $18,040 $15,850
Avg Net Price $25,218 $42,106
Avg Grant Aid $56,380 $36,743
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 33%

Admission

 Bard College RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,628 7,126
Admitted 3,466 984
Acceptance Rate 52.3% 13.8%
Enrolled % 11.6% 51.2%
Avg High School GPA - 3.71
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 30/32 30/33
SAT Range 1290/1440 1370/1540
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 1, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Bard College RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (23%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 Bard College RISD
Graduation Rate 76% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,600 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,194 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $270 $279

Diversity

 Bard College RISD
% Men 6% 5%
% Women 10% 13%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 63% 31%
% Black 8% 2%
% Hispanic 1% 8%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 10% 26%
% Unknown Race 11% 8%

Students

 Bard College RISD
% In-State 31% 1%
% Out-of-State 59% 61%

Campus

 Bard College 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

  • Bard College is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (2,922 students vs. 2,540 students)

Bard College vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bard College or RISD?

  • Bard College is 7% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($62,790.00 vs. $58,690.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7% higher at Bard College than Rhode Island School of Design ($62,790.00 vs. $58,690.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bard College than RISD ($25,218 vs. $42,106)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 13.8% lower than costs at Bard College ($15,850 vs. $18,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bard College than Rhode Island School of Design (77% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College students is 53.4% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($56,380 vs. $36,743)

Bard College vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Bard College has a higher acceptance rate (52.3%) than RISD (13.8%)

Bard College vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bard College 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 Bard College.

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than Bard College (87% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Rhode Island School of Design earn on average $9,500 more per year than Bard College graduates after ten years. ($51,100 vs. $41,600)
  • Bard College students graduate with a $806 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($26,194 vs. $27,000)
  • Bard College graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($270 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bard College students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 81%)

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