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BU Villanova Northeastern Tufts Babson Colgate Pratt Institute Brandeis University Holy Cross NYU Notre Dame University of Richmond| Boston College | Rhode Island School of Design | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
BC | RISD | ||
| Location | Chestnut Hill, MA | Providence, RI | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 15,287 | 2,620 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #45 | #96 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | bc.edu | risd.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
BC | RISD | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $62,950 | $56,435 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $62,950 | $56,435 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,120 | $15,234 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $30,559 | $39,800 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $49,992 | $37,480 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 40% | 34% |
Admission |
BC | RISD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 40,494 | 5,099 | ||
| Admitted | 6,748 | 888 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 16.7% | 17.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 34.6% | 54.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.86 | 3.71 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 29/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1435/1540 | 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 |
BC | RISD | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
BC | RISD | ||
| Graduation Rate | 91% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $90,900 | $51,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 90% | 89% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,000 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $196 | $279 |
Diversity |
BC | RISD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 45% | 33% | ||
| % Women | 55% | 67% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 62% | 31% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 10% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 6% | 26% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 6% | 8% |
Students |
BC | RISD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 21% | 1% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 71% | 58% | ||
Campus |
BC | RISD | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Boston College is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (15,287 students vs. 2,620 students)
BC vs. RISD Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, BC or RISD?
- Boston College is 11.5% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($62,950.00 vs. $56,435.00)
- Out of state tuition is 11.5% higher at BC than Rhode Island School of Design ($62,950.00 vs. $56,435.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston College than RISD ($30,559 vs. $39,800)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 5.8% lower than costs at Boston College ($15,234 vs. $16,120)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Boston College than Rhode Island School of Design (40% vs. 34%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Boston College students is 33.4% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($49,992 vs. $37,480)
BC vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, BC or RISD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between RISD or BC .
- The average SAT score at Boston College (1380) is 107 points higher than at RISD (1273)
- Incoming BC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at RISD (29)
- Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at RISD (3.71)
- RISD has a higher acceptance rate (17.4%) than BC (16.7%)
BC vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, BC 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 BC.
- The graduation rate at BC is higher than Rhode Island School of Design (91% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from Boston College earn on average $39,800 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($90,900 vs. $51,100)
- Boston College students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($19,000 vs. $27,000)
- BC graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($196 vs. $279)
- More BC 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/