Colby College vs. RISD

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

Colby College RISD
Location Waterville, ME Providence, RI
Setting Remote Town Midsize City
Enrollment 2,299 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #44 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colby.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colby College RISD
Tuition (In State) $60,840 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $60,840 $56,435
Room & Board $16,330 $15,234
Avg Net Price $16,951 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $61,714 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 41% 34%

Admission

Colby College RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,890 5,099
Admitted 1,286 888
Acceptance Rate 7.6% 17.4%
Enrolled % 52.3% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 32/34 29/33
SAT Range 1430/1540 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

Colby College RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • General Studies (13%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

Colby College RISD
Graduation Rate 91% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $73,400 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,345 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $200 $279

Diversity

Colby College RISD
% Men 48% 33%
% Women 52% 67%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 31%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 11% 26%
% Unknown Race 7% 8%

Students

Colby College RISD
% In-State 7% 1%
% Out-of-State 79% 58%

Campus

Colby 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

  • Rhode Island School of Design is larger than than Colby College based on total student enrollment (2,620 students vs. 2,299 students)

Colby College vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colby College or RISD?

  • Colby College is 7.8% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($60,840.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.8% higher at Colby College than Rhode Island School of Design ($60,840.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colby College than RISD ($16,951 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 7.2% lower than costs at Colby College ($15,234 vs. $16,330)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Colby College than Rhode Island School of Design (41% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colby College students is 64.7% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($61,714 vs. $37,480)

Colby College vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Colby College (1363) is 90 points higher than at RISD (1273)
  • Incoming Colby College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at RISD (29)
  • Accepted freshman Colby College 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 Colby College (7.6%)

Colby College vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colby 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 Colby College.

  • The graduation rate at Colby College is higher than Rhode Island School of Design (91% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Colby College earn on average $22,300 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($73,400 vs. $51,100)
  • Colby College students graduate with a $7,655 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($19,345 vs. $27,000)
  • Colby College graduates are paying $79 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($200 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colby College students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 88%)

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