Bates vs. RISD

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

 Bates RISD
Location Lewiston, ME Providence, RI
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 1,790 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #43 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bates.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bates RISD
Tuition (In State) $61,066 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $61,066 $56,435
Room & Board $17,224 $15,234
Avg Net Price $27,491 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $51,414 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 36% 34%

Admission

 Bates RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,273 5,099
Admitted 1,137 888
Acceptance Rate 13.7% 17.4%
Enrolled % 45.6% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA - 3.71
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 32/33 29/33
SAT Range 1420/1520 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 1, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Bates RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 Bates RISD
Graduation Rate 92% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $75,700 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,450 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $149 $279

Diversity

 Bates RISD
% Men 47% 33%
% Women 53% 67%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 31%
% Black 5% 2%
% Hispanic 8% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 7% 26%
% Unknown Race 0% 8%

Students

 Bates RISD
% In-State 9% 1%
% Out-of-State 81% 58%

Campus

 Bates RISD
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes 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 Bates based on total student enrollment (2,620 students vs. 1,790 students)

Bates vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bates or RISD?

  • Bates College is 8.2% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($61,066.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.2% higher at Bates than Rhode Island School of Design ($61,066.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bates College than RISD ($27,491 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 13.1% lower than costs at Bates College ($15,234 vs. $17,224)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bates College than Rhode Island School of Design (36% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bates College students is 37.2% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($51,414 vs. $37,480)

Bates vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • RISD has a higher acceptance rate (17.4%) than Bates (13.7%)

Bates vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bates 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 Bates.

  • The graduation rate at Bates is higher than Rhode Island School of Design (92% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Bates College earn on average $24,600 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($75,700 vs. $51,100)
  • Bates College students graduate with a $12,550 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($14,450 vs. $27,000)
  • Bates graduates are paying $130 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($149 vs. $279)
  • More Bates graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RISD students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 89%)

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