Bentley vs. RISD

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

 Bentley RISD
Location Waltham, MA Providence, RI
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 5,264 2,540
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #108 #90
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bentley.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bentley RISD
Tuition (In State) $58,150 $58,690
Tuition (Out of State) $58,150 $58,690
Room & Board $19,200 $15,850
Avg Net Price $43,858 $42,106
Avg Grant Aid $33,293 $36,743
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 33%

Admission

 Bentley RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,482 7,126
Admitted 5,077 984
Acceptance Rate 48.4% 13.8%
Enrolled % 22.1% 51.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 29/32 30/33
SAT Range 1250/1410 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 15, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Bentley RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (83%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (3%)
  • Mathematics (1%)
  • General Studies (1%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 Bentley RISD
Graduation Rate 88% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $87,200 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $274 $279

Diversity

 Bentley RISD
% Men 9% 5%
% Women 9% 13%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 31%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 14% 26%
% Unknown Race 3% 8%

Students

 Bentley RISD
% In-State 38% 1%
% Out-of-State 46% 61%

Campus

 Bentley RISD
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Bentley University is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (5,264 students vs. 2,540 students)

Bentley vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bentley or RISD?

  • Rhode Island School of Design is 0.9% more expensive to attend than Bentley for in-state tuition ($58,690.00 vs. $58,150.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.9% higher at RISD than Bentley University ($58,690.00 vs. $58,150.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rhode Island School of Design than Bentley ($42,106 vs. $43,858)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 21.1% lower than costs at Bentley University ($15,850 vs. $19,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bentley University than Rhode Island School of Design (86% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students is 10.4% larger than aid received Bentley University ($36,743 vs. $33,293)

Bentley vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rhode Island School of Design (1273) is 29 points higher than at Bentley (1244)
  • Incoming RISD students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Bentley (28)
  • Accepted freshman Bentley students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • Bentley has a higher acceptance rate (48.4%) than RISD (13.8%)

Bentley vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bentley 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 Bentley.

  • The graduation rate at Bentley is higher than Rhode Island School of Design (88% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Bentley University earn on average $36,100 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($87,200 vs. $51,100)
  • Bentley University students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($26,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Bentley graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($274 vs. $279)
  • More Bentley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RISD students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 89%)

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