Drexel vs. RISD

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

 Drexel RISD
Location Philadelphia, PA Providence, RI
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 22,344 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #124 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website drexel.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Drexel RISD
Tuition (In State) $56,595 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $56,595 $56,435
Room & Board $16,980 $15,234
Avg Net Price $39,267 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $33,861 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 34%

Admission

 Drexel RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 37,040 5,099
Admitted 29,487 888
Acceptance Rate 79.6% 17.4%
Enrolled % 10% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.71
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 27/32 29/33
SAT Range 1230/1430 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 15, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Drexel RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 Drexel RISD
Graduation Rate 68% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $77,400 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,243 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $271 $279

Diversity

 Drexel RISD
% Men 46% 33%
% Women 54% 67%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 54% 31%
% Black 7% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 13% 26%
% Unknown Race 2% 8%

Students

 Drexel RISD
% In-State 44% 1%
% Out-of-State 47% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Drexel University is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (22,344 students vs. 2,620 students)

Drexel vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Drexel or RISD?

  • Drexel University is 0.3% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($56,595.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.3% higher at Drexel than Rhode Island School of Design ($56,595.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Drexel University than RISD ($39,267 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 Drexel University ($15,234 vs. $16,980)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Drexel University than Rhode Island School of Design (100% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students is 10.7% larger than aid received Drexel University ($37,480 vs. $33,861)

Drexel vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rhode Island School of Design (1273) is 59 points higher than at Drexel (1214)
  • Incoming RISD students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Drexel (28)
  • Accepted freshman RISD students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at Drexel (3.67)
  • Drexel has a higher acceptance rate (79.6%) than RISD (17.4%)

Drexel vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Drexel 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 Drexel.

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than Drexel University (87% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Drexel University earn on average $26,300 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($77,400 vs. $51,100)
  • Drexel University students graduate with a $757 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($26,243 vs. $27,000)
  • Drexel graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($271 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Drexel students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 77%)

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