Hillsdale College vs. RISD

Should I go to Hillsdale College or Rhode Island School of Design? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Hillsdale 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Pratt Institute MICA Yale Cooper Union Syracuse Harvard Carnegie Mellon Cornell SCAD UD NYU BU
Hillsdale College vs. Rhode Island School of Design comparison
Hillsdale College Rhode Island School of Design College 3 College 4
Rhode Island School of Design
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Hillsdale College RISD
Location Hillsdale, Michigan Providence, RI
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 1,678 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #96
Religious Affiliation Undenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hillsdale.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Hillsdale College RISD
Tuition (In State) $29,590 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $29,590 $56,435
Room & Board $12,500 $15,234
Avg Net Price $24,196 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $21,093 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 34%

Admission

Hillsdale College RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,017 5,099
Admitted 621 888
Acceptance Rate 20.6% 17.4%
Enrolled % 62.3% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.93 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 30/34 29/33
SAT Range 1360/1520 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 Mar 15, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Hillsdale College RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

Hillsdale College RISD
Graduation Rate - 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments - 89%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $27,000
Median Loan Payment N/A $279

Diversity

Hillsdale College RISD
% Men 52% 33%
% Women 48% 67%
Racial Diversity - Very High
HBCU No No
% White 0% 31%
% Black 0% 2%
% Hispanic 0% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 0% 26%
% Unknown Race 0% 8%

Students

Hillsdale College RISD
% In-State 21% 1%
% Out-of-State 78% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rhode Island School of Design is larger than than Hillsdale College based on total student enrollment (2,620 students vs. 1,678 students)

Hillsdale College vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Hillsdale College or RISD?

  • Rhode Island School of Design is 90.7% more expensive to attend than Hillsdale College for in-state tuition ($56,435.00 vs. $29,590.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 90.7% higher at RISD than Hillsdale College ($56,435.00 vs. $29,590.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Hillsdale College than RISD ($24,196 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Hillsdale College are 21.9% lower than costs at Rhode Island School of Design ($12,500 vs. $15,234)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Hillsdale College than Rhode Island School of Design (99% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students is 77.7% larger than aid received Hillsdale College ($37,480 vs. $21,093)

Hillsdale College vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Hillsdale College students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • Hillsdale College has a higher acceptance rate (20.6%) than RISD (17.4%)

Hillsdale College vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Hillsdale 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 Hillsdale College.

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