Gordon College vs. RISD

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

Gordon College RISD
Location Wenham, MA Providence, RI
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 1,610 2,540
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #343 #90
Religious Affiliation Interdenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gordon.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Gordon College RISD
Tuition (In State) $27,000 $58,690
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $58,690
Room & Board $12,650 $15,850
Avg Net Price $25,250 $42,106
Avg Grant Aid $15,740 $36,743
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 33%

Admission

Gordon College RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,579 7,126
Admitted 1,516 984
Acceptance Rate 58.8% 13.8%
Enrolled % 21.6% 51.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.58 3.71
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 26/32 30/33
SAT Range 1168/1370 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 Feb 1, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Gordon College RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

Gordon College RISD
Graduation Rate 74% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,300 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Gordon College RISD
% Men 5% 5%
% Women 15% 13%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 72% 31%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 8% 26%
% Unknown Race 0% 8%

Students

Gordon College RISD
% In-State 35% 1%
% Out-of-State 58% 61%

Campus

Gordon College 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 Gordon College based on total student enrollment (2,540 students vs. 1,610 students)

Gordon College vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Gordon College or RISD?

  • Rhode Island School of Design is 117.4% more expensive to attend than Gordon College for in-state tuition ($58,690.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 117.4% higher at RISD than Gordon College ($58,690.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Gordon College than RISD ($25,250 vs. $42,106)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gordon College are 25.3% lower than costs at Rhode Island School of Design ($12,650 vs. $15,850)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Gordon College than Rhode Island School of Design (100% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students is 133.4% larger than aid received Gordon College ($36,743 vs. $15,740)

Gordon College vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rhode Island School of Design (1273) is 161 points higher than at Gordon College (1112)
  • Incoming RISD students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Gordon College (26)
  • Accepted freshman RISD students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at Gordon College (3.58)
  • Gordon College has a higher acceptance rate (58.8%) than RISD (13.8%)

Gordon College vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Gordon 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 Gordon College.

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than Gordon College (87% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from Rhode Island School of Design earn on average $5,800 more per year than Gordon College graduates after ten years. ($51,100 vs. $45,300)
  • Rhode Island School of Design and Gordon College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Rhode Island School of Design and Gordon College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Gordon College students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 85%)

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