Davidson vs. RISD

Deciding between Davidson College and Rhode Island School of Design? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Davidson College
Rhode Island School of Design

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Davidson Davidson, NC
  • RISD Providence, RI
  • Setting
  • Davidson Large Suburban
  • RISD Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Davidson 1,869
  • RISD 2,520
  • Type
  • Davidson Private 4 Year
  • RISD Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Davidson #32
  • RISD #92
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Davidson Presbyterian Church (USA)
  • RISD -
  • Status
  • Davidson Non-profit
  • RISD Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Davidson
  • RISD

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Davidson $64,410
  • RISD $62,688
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Davidson $64,410
  • RISD $62,688
  • Room & Board
  • Davidson $17,100
  • RISD $16,626
  • Average Net Price
  • Davidson $27,720
  • RISD $43,492
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Davidson $51,755
  • RISD $38,223
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Davidson 65%
  • RISD 31%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Davidson 8,114
  • RISD 6,692
  • Admitted
  • Davidson 1,085
  • RISD 1,249
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Davidson 13.4%
  • RISD 18.7%
  • Enrolled
  • Davidson 47.9%
  • RISD 41.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Davidson 1470
  • RISD 1460
  • Typical ACT score
  • Davidson 32
  • RISD 32
  • Average High School GPA
  • Davidson 3.81
  • RISD 3.71
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Davidson A-
  • RISD A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Davidson Exceptional
  • RISD Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Davidson Very High
  • RISD Very High
  • ACT Range
  • Davidson 31/34
  • RISD 31/34
  • SAT Range
  • Davidson 1400/1530
  • RISD 1396/1530
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Davidson Test optional
  • RISD Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Davidson Jan 7, 2027
  • RISD Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Davidson 8:1
  • RISD 8:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Davidson
    • Social Sciences (28%)
    • Biology (11%)
    • Psychology (11%)
    • Foreign Languages (11%)
    • English and Literature (11%)
  • RISD
    • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
    • Architecture (18%)
    • Work and Family Studies (5%)
    • Precision Production Trades (4%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Davidson 92%
  • RISD 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Davidson $63,500
  • RISD $51,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Davidson 89%
  • RISD 89%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Davidson $17,000
  • RISD $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Davidson $175
  • RISD $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Davidson 47%
  • RISD 29%
  • % Women
  • Davidson 53%
  • RISD 71%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Davidson Medium
  • RISD Very High
  • HBCU
  • Davidson No
  • RISD No
  • % White
  • Davidson 68%
  • RISD 31%
  • % Asian
  • Davidson 5%
  • RISD 19%
  • % Black
  • Davidson 7%
  • RISD 2%
  • % Hispanic
  • Davidson 8%
  • RISD 8%
  • % Native American
  • Davidson 1%
  • RISD 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Davidson 0%
  • RISD 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Davidson 4%
  • RISD 4%
  • % International
  • Davidson 6%
  • RISD 26%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Davidson 1%
  • RISD 8%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Davidson 19%
  • RISD 2%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Davidson 68%
  • RISD 55%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Davidson Yes
  • RISD Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Davidson No
  • RISD No
  • Meal Plan
  • Davidson Yes
  • RISD Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Davidson No
  • RISD No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Davidson No
  • RISD No

Comparable Facts

Compare Davidson College in Davidson, NC with Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Rhode Island School of Design is larger than Davidson based on total student enrollment (2,520 students vs. 1,869 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Davidson College is located in Davidson, NC (Large Suburban setting); Rhode Island School of Design is in Providence, RI (Midsize City setting).
  • Davidson College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Rhode Island School of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Davidson College 8:1; Rhode Island School of Design 8:1.

Davidson vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Davidson or RISD? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Davidson College than RISD ($27,720 vs. $43,492).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 2.8% lower than at Davidson College ($16,626 vs. $17,100).
  • Davidson College is 2.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than RISD (about $1,722 more per year; $64,410.00 vs. $62,688.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 2.7% higher at Davidson than at Rhode Island School of Design (about $1,722 more per year; $64,410.00 vs. $62,688.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Davidson College than at Rhode Island School of Design (65% vs. 31%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Davidson College students is 35.4% larger than aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students ($51,755 vs. $38,223).

Davidson vs. RISD Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Davidson or RISD? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between RISD and Davidson.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Davidson College (1470) is 10 points higher than at RISD (1460).
  • Incoming Davidson students have the same typical ACT composite (median estimate; 32) as students at RISD (32).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Davidson College 1400/1530; Rhode Island School of Design 1396/1530.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Davidson College 31/34; Rhode Island School of Design 31/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Davidson - Test optional; RISD - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Davidson Jan 7, 2027; RISD Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Davidson students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at RISD (3.71).
  • RISD has a higher acceptance rate (18.7%) than Davidson (13.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 47.9% at Davidson vs. 41.5% at RISD.

Davidson vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Davidson and RISD? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Davidson College's six-year graduation rate (92%) is higher than Rhode Island School of Design's (87%).
  • Graduates from Davidson College earn a median of about $12,400 more per year than RISD graduates about ten years after starting college ($63,500 vs. $51,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Davidson College graduates have a $10,000 lower median loan debt than RISD graduates ($17,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Davidson graduates have an estimated $104 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than RISD graduates ($175 vs. $279).
  • More Davidson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RISD students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 89%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.