Carleton College vs. RISD

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

Carleton College RISD
Location Northfield, MN Providence, RI
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 2,059 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #39 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website carleton.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carleton College RISD
Tuition (In State) $62,244 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $62,244 $56,435
Room & Board $15,990 $15,234
Avg Net Price $31,494 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $46,821 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 34%

Admission

Carleton College RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,583 5,099
Admitted 1,427 888
Acceptance Rate 16.6% 17.4%
Enrolled % 37.3% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 32/35 29/33
SAT Range 1430/1550 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 15, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Carleton College RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Physical Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

Carleton College RISD
Graduation Rate 93% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,600 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $279

Diversity

Carleton College RISD
% Men 50% 33%
% Women 50% 67%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 63% 31%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 10% 26%
% Unknown Race 2% 8%

Students

Carleton College RISD
% In-State 17% 1%
% Out-of-State 73% 58%

Campus

Carleton College 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 Carleton College based on total student enrollment (2,620 students vs. 2,059 students)

Carleton College vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Carleton College or RISD?

  • Carleton College is 10.3% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($62,244.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.3% higher at Carleton College than Rhode Island School of Design ($62,244.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Carleton College than RISD ($31,494 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 5% lower than costs at Carleton College ($15,234 vs. $15,990)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Carleton College than Rhode Island School of Design (60% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carleton College students is 24.9% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($46,821 vs. $37,480)

Carleton College vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carleton College (1400) is 127 points higher than at RISD (1273)
  • Incoming Carleton College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at RISD (29)
  • Accepted freshman Carleton College students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • RISD has a higher acceptance rate (17.4%) than Carleton College (16.6%)

Carleton College vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Carleton 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 Carleton College.

  • The graduation rate at Carleton College is higher than Rhode Island School of Design (93% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Carleton College earn on average $14,500 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($65,600 vs. $51,100)
  • Carleton College students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($19,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Carleton College graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($201 vs. $279)
  • More Carleton College 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/