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Carleton College Pratt Institute Macalester College Oberlin Kenyon MICA Haverford College Cornell WUSTL Reed Davidson Swarthmore| Grinnell College | Rhode Island School of Design | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Grinnell | RISD | ||
| Location | Grinnell, IA | Providence, RI | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,775 | 2,540 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #55 | #90 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | grinnell.edu | risd.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Grinnell | RISD | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $64,342 | $58,690 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $64,342 | $58,690 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,878 | $15,850 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $33,446 | $42,106 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $45,782 | $36,743 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 92% | 33% |
Admission |
Grinnell | RISD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 9,988 | 7,126 | ||
| Admitted | 1,266 | 984 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 12.7% | 13.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 36.1% | 51.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.89 | 3.71 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 31/34 | 30/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1418/1550 | 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 15, 2026 | Feb 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Grinnell | RISD | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 8:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Grinnell | RISD | ||
| Graduation Rate | 88% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,500 | $51,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 89% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $13,170 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $136 | $279 |
Diversity |
Grinnell | RISD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 2% | 13% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 56% | 31% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 16% | 26% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 8% |
Students |
Grinnell | RISD | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 8% | 1% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 69% | 61% | ||
Campus |
Grinnell | RISD | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | 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 Grinnell based on total student enrollment (2,540 students vs. 1,775 students)
Grinnell vs. RISD Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or RISD?
- Grinnell College is 9.6% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($64,342.00 vs. $58,690.00)
- Out of state tuition is 9.6% higher at Grinnell than Rhode Island School of Design ($64,342.00 vs. $58,690.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Grinnell College than RISD ($33,446 vs. $42,106)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 0.2% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($15,850 vs. $15,878)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than Rhode Island School of Design (92% vs. 33%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 24.6% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($45,782 vs. $36,743)
Grinnell vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Grinnell or RISD? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between RISD or Grinnell .
- The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 129 points higher than at RISD (1273)
- Incoming Grinnell students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at RISD (29)
- Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at RISD (3.71)
- RISD has a higher acceptance rate (13.8%) than Grinnell (12.7%)
Grinnell vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Grinnell 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 Grinnell.
- The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than Rhode Island School of Design (88% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from Grinnell College earn on average $8,400 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $51,100)
- Grinnell College students graduate with a $13,830 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($13,170 vs. $27,000)
- Grinnell graduates are paying $143 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($136 vs. $279)
- More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Grinnell 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/