Manhattan College vs. RISD

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

 Manhattan College RISD
Location Riverdale, NY Providence, RI
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 3,495 2,540
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #152 #90
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website manhattan.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Manhattan College RISD
Tuition (In State) $46,100 $58,690
Tuition (Out of State) $46,100 $58,690
Room & Board $18,440 $15,850
Avg Net Price $28,349 $42,106
Avg Grant Aid $34,438 $36,743
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 33%

Admission

 Manhattan College RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,432 7,126
Admitted 8,188 984
Acceptance Rate 78.5%Open 13.8%
Enrolled % 8.4%Open 51.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.71
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 22/31 30/33
SAT Range 1150/1340 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 Aug 31, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Manhattan College RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (25%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 Manhattan College RISD
Graduation Rate 72% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,700 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

 Manhattan College RISD
% Men 7% 5%
% Women 9% 13%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 31%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 21% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 26%
% Unknown Race 8% 8%

Students

 Manhattan College RISD
% In-State 74% 1%
% Out-of-State 24% 61%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Manhattan College is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (3,495 students vs. 2,540 students)

Manhattan College vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Manhattan College or RISD?

  • Rhode Island School of Design is 27.3% more expensive to attend than Manhattan College for in-state tuition ($58,690.00 vs. $46,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.3% higher at RISD than Manhattan College ($58,690.00 vs. $46,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Manhattan College than RISD ($28,349 vs. $42,106)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 16.3% lower than costs at Manhattan College ($15,850 vs. $18,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Manhattan College than Rhode Island School of Design (100% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students is 6.7% larger than aid received Manhattan College ($36,743 vs. $34,438)

Manhattan College vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rhode Island School of Design (1273) is 176 points higher than at Manhattan College (1097)
  • Incoming RISD students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Manhattan College (25)
  • Accepted freshman RISD students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at Manhattan College (3.63)
  • Manhattan College has a higher acceptance rate (78.5%) than RISD (13.8%)

Manhattan College vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Manhattan 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 Manhattan College.

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than Manhattan College (87% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Manhattan College earn on average $15,600 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($66,700 vs. $51,100)
  • Manhattan College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Manhattan College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Manhattan College students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 82%)

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