HMC vs. RISD

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

 HMC RISD
Location Claremont, CA Providence, RI
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 922 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hmc.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 HMC RISD
Tuition (In State) $62,516 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $62,516 $56,435
Room & Board $19,879 $15,234
Avg Net Price $39,850 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $42,386 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 34%

Admission

 HMC RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,440 5,099
Admitted 593 888
Acceptance Rate 13.4% 17.4%
Enrolled % 40% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.96 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 34/36 29/33
SAT Range 1480/1560 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 5, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 HMC RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (42%)
  • Physical Sciences (18%)
  • Mathematics (13%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 HMC RISD
Graduation Rate 84% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $84,900 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments - 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,540 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $264 $279

Diversity

 HMC RISD
% Men 51% 33%
% Women 49% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 38% 31%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 13% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 4%
% International 13% 26%
% Unknown Race 5% 8%

Students

 HMC RISD
% In-State 43% 1%
% Out-of-State 43% 58%

Campus

 HMC 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 HMC based on total student enrollment (2,620 students vs. 922 students)

HMC vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HMC or RISD?

  • Harvey Mudd College is 10.8% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($62,516.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.8% higher at HMC than Rhode Island School of Design ($62,516.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rhode Island School of Design than HMC ($39,800 vs. $39,850)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 30.5% lower than costs at Harvey Mudd College ($15,234 vs. $19,879)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvey Mudd College than Rhode Island School of Design (57% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvey Mudd College students is 13.1% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($42,386 vs. $37,480)

HMC vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvey Mudd College (1484) is 211 points higher than at RISD (1273)
  • Incoming HMC students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at RISD (29)
  • Accepted freshman HMC students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • RISD has a higher acceptance rate (17.4%) than HMC (13.4%)

HMC vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, HMC 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 HMC.

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than Harvey Mudd College (87% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Harvey Mudd College earn on average $33,800 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($84,900 vs. $51,100)
  • Harvey Mudd College students graduate with a $1,460 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($25,540 vs. $27,000)
  • HMC graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($264 vs. $279)

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