Cornell vs. RISD

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

Cornell RISD
Location Ithaca, NY Providence, RI
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 25,898 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #19 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornell.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cornell RISD
Tuition (In State) $62,456 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $62,456 $56,435
Room & Board $16,988 $15,234
Avg Net Price $26,060 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $54,219 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 51% 34%

Admission

Cornell RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 69,195 5,099
Admitted 5,168 888
Acceptance Rate 7.5% 17.4%
Enrolled % 67.6% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 33/35 29/33
SAT Range 1470/1570 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 2, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Cornell RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

Cornell RISD
Graduation Rate 93% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,400 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $124 $279

Diversity

Cornell RISD
% Men 47% 33%
% Women 53% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 41% 31%
% Black 6% 2%
% Hispanic 12% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 10% 26%
% Unknown Race 8% 8%

Students

Cornell RISD
% In-State 33% 1%
% Out-of-State 55% 58%

Campus

Cornell 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

  • Cornell University is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (25,898 students vs. 2,620 students)

Cornell vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell or RISD?

  • Cornell University is 10.7% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.7% higher at Cornell than Rhode Island School of Design ($62,456.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than RISD ($26,060 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 11.5% lower than costs at Cornell University ($15,234 vs. $16,988)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cornell University than Rhode Island School of Design (51% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 44.7% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($54,219 vs. $37,480)

Cornell vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 155 points higher than at RISD (1273)
  • Incoming Cornell students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at RISD (29)
  • Accepted freshman Cornell 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 Cornell (7.5%)

Cornell vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cornell 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 Cornell.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than Rhode Island School of Design (93% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $47,300 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $51,100)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $15,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($12,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $155 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($124 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cornell students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 87%)

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