Connecticut College vs. RISD

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

Connecticut College RISD
Location New London, CT Providence, RI
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 1,995 2,540
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #75 #90
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website connecticutcollege.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Connecticut College RISD
Tuition (In State) $64,412 $58,690
Tuition (Out of State) $64,412 $58,690
Room & Board $17,885 $15,850
Avg Net Price $42,941 $42,106
Avg Grant Aid $39,354 $36,743
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 33%

Admission

Connecticut College RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,397 7,126
Admitted 3,597 984
Acceptance Rate 38.3% 13.8%
Enrolled % 15.4% 51.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Very High
ACT Range 31/33 30/33
SAT Range 1340/1470 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 1, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Connecticut College RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Ethnic Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

Connecticut College RISD
Graduation Rate 84% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,700 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,550 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $243 $279

Diversity

Connecticut College RISD
% Men 1% 5%
% Women 1% 13%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 31%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 9% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 6% 26%
% Unknown Race 3% 8%

Students

Connecticut College RISD
% In-State 12% 1%
% Out-of-State 83% 61%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rhode Island School of Design is larger than than Connecticut College based on total student enrollment (2,540 students vs. 1,995 students)

Connecticut College vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Connecticut College or RISD?

  • Connecticut College is 9.7% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($64,412.00 vs. $58,690.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.7% higher at Connecticut College than Rhode Island School of Design ($64,412.00 vs. $58,690.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rhode Island School of Design than Connecticut College ($42,106 vs. $42,941)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 12.8% lower than costs at Connecticut College ($15,850 vs. $17,885)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Connecticut College than Rhode Island School of Design (100% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Connecticut College students is 7.1% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($39,354 vs. $36,743)

Connecticut College vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman RISD students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at Connecticut College (3.7)
  • Connecticut College has a higher acceptance rate (38.3%) than RISD (13.8%)

Connecticut College vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Connecticut 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 Connecticut College.

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than Connecticut College (87% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Connecticut College earn on average $9,600 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($60,700 vs. $51,100)
  • Connecticut College students graduate with a $3,450 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($23,550 vs. $27,000)
  • Connecticut College graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($243 vs. $279)
  • More Connecticut College 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/