Harvard vs. RISD

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

 Harvard RISD
Location Cambridge, MA Providence, RI
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 30,631 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Harvard RISD
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $56,435
Room & Board $19,502 $15,234
Avg Net Price $19,491 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 34%

Admission

 Harvard RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 5,099
Admitted 1,984 888
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 17.4%
Enrolled % 83% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.71
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 34/36 29/33
SAT Range 1490/1580 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 1, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Harvard RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 Harvard RISD
Graduation Rate 97% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $67 $279

Diversity

 Harvard RISD
% Men 46% 33%
% Women 54% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 31%
% Black 6% 2%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4%
% International 11% 26%
% Unknown Race 3% 8%

Students

 Harvard RISD
% In-State 15% 1%
% Out-of-State 69% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 2,620 students)

Harvard vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or RISD?

  • Rhode Island School of Design is 7.2% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($56,435.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.2% higher at RISD than Harvard University ($56,435.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than RISD ($19,491 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 28% lower than costs at Harvard University ($15,234 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Rhode Island School of Design (56% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 64.9% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($61,801 vs. $37,480)

Harvard vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 224 points higher than at RISD (1273)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at RISD (29)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • RISD has a higher acceptance rate (17.4%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Harvard 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 Harvard.

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Rhode Island School of Design (97% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $85,600 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $51,100)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $20,500 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($6,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $212 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($67 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 70%)

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