Macalester College vs. RISD

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

Macalester College RISD
Location Saint Paul, MN Providence, RI
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 2,175 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #97 #96
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website macalester.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Macalester College RISD
Tuition (In State) $62,270 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $62,270 $56,435
Room & Board $14,000 $15,234
Avg Net Price $36,095 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $40,262 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 34%

Admission

Macalester College RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,434 5,099
Admitted 2,397 888
Acceptance Rate 28.4% 17.4%
Enrolled % 23% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Very High
ACT Range 30/34 29/33
SAT Range 1340/1500 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 15, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Macalester College RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

Macalester College RISD
Graduation Rate 87% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,100 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,670 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $234 $279

Diversity

Macalester College RISD
% Men 42% 33%
% Women 58% 67%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 31%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 14% 26%
% Unknown Race 0% 8%

Students

Macalester College RISD
% In-State 18% 1%
% Out-of-State 69% 58%

Campus

Macalester College 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 Macalester College based on total student enrollment (2,620 students vs. 2,175 students)

Macalester College vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Macalester College or RISD?

  • Macalester College is 10.3% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($62,270.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.3% higher at Macalester College than Rhode Island School of Design ($62,270.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Macalester College than RISD ($36,095 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Macalester College are 8.8% lower than costs at Rhode Island School of Design ($14,000 vs. $15,234)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Macalester College than Rhode Island School of Design (89% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Macalester College students is 7.4% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($40,262 vs. $37,480)

Macalester College vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Macalester College (1358) is 85 points higher than at RISD (1273)
  • Incoming Macalester College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at RISD (29)
  • Accepted freshman Macalester College students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • Macalester College has a higher acceptance rate (28.4%) than RISD (17.4%)

Macalester College vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Macalester 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 Macalester College.

  • The graduation rate at Macalester College is the same as at Rhode Island School of Design (87% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Macalester College earn on average $3,000 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($54,100 vs. $51,100)
  • Macalester College students graduate with a $4,330 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($22,670 vs. $27,000)
  • Macalester College graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($234 vs. $279)
  • More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RISD students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 89%)

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