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Washington and Lee Pratt Institute University of Richmond UNC Chapel Hill Duke Elon William & Mary Furman Emory Haverford College MICA Lafayette College| Davidson College | Rhode Island School of Design | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Davidson | RISD | ||
| Location | Davidson, NC | Providence, RI | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,904 | 2,540 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #35 | #90 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Presbyterian Church (USA) | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | davidson.edu | risd.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Davidson | RISD | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $59,510 | $58,690 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $59,510 | $58,690 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,400 | $15,850 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $26,510 | $42,106 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $49,355 | $36,743 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 65% | 33% |
Admission |
Davidson | RISD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,347 | 7,126 | ||
| Admitted | 1,064 | 984 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 14.5% | 13.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 48.8% | 51.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.81 | 3.71 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 31/34 | 30/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1360/1510 | 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 7, 2026 | Feb 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Davidson | RISD | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 8:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Davidson | RISD | ||
| Graduation Rate | 92% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $63,500 | $51,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 89% | 89% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,000 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $175 | $279 |
Diversity |
Davidson | RISD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 13% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 68% | 31% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 8% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 6% | 26% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 8% |
Students |
Davidson | RISD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 17% | 1% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 71% | 61% | ||
Campus |
Davidson | 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 Davidson based on total student enrollment (2,540 students vs. 1,904 students)
Davidson vs. RISD Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Davidson or RISD?
- Davidson College is 1.4% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($59,510.00 vs. $58,690.00)
- Out of state tuition is 1.4% higher at Davidson than Rhode Island School of Design ($59,510.00 vs. $58,690.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Davidson College than RISD ($26,510 vs. $42,106)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 3.5% lower than costs at Davidson College ($15,850 vs. $16,400)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Davidson College than Rhode Island School of Design (65% vs. 33%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Davidson College students is 34.3% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($49,355 vs. $36,743)
Davidson vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Davidson or RISD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between RISD or Davidson .
- The average SAT score at Davidson College (1355) is 82 points higher than at RISD (1273)
- Incoming Davidson students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at RISD (29)
- Accepted freshman Davidson students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at RISD (3.71)
- Davidson has a higher acceptance rate (14.5%) than RISD (13.8%)
Davidson vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Davidson 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 Davidson.
- The graduation rate at Davidson is higher than Rhode Island School of Design (92% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from Davidson College earn on average $12,400 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($63,500 vs. $51,100)
- Davidson College students graduate with a $10,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($17,000 vs. $27,000)
- Davidson graduates are paying $104 less per month on federal student loans 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/