MHC vs. RISD

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

 MHC RISD
Location South Hadley, MA Providence, RI
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 2,392 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #85 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mtholyoke.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MHC RISD
Tuition (In State) $58,280 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $58,280 $56,435
Room & Board $17,180 $15,234
Avg Net Price $35,765 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $39,304 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 34%

Admission

 MHC RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,894 5,099
Admitted 1,946 888
Acceptance Rate 39.8% 17.4%
Enrolled % 28% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 30/34 29/33
SAT Range 1350/1540 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

 MHC RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 MHC RISD
Graduation Rate 85% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,000 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,206 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $219 $279

Diversity

 MHC RISD
% Men 1% 33%
% Women 99% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 31%
% Black 6% 2%
% Hispanic 8% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 26% 26%
% Unknown Race 1% 8%

Students

 MHC RISD
% In-State 16% 1%
% Out-of-State 60% 58%

Campus

 MHC RISD
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No 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 MHC based on total student enrollment (2,620 students vs. 2,392 students)

MHC vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MHC or RISD?

  • Mount Holyoke College is 3.3% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($58,280.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.3% higher at MHC than Rhode Island School of Design ($58,280.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mount Holyoke College than RISD ($35,765 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 12.8% lower than costs at Mount Holyoke College ($15,234 vs. $17,180)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mount Holyoke College than Rhode Island School of Design (80% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Holyoke College students is 4.9% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($39,304 vs. $37,480)

MHC vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman MHC students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • MHC has a higher acceptance rate (39.8%) than RISD (17.4%)

MHC vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MHC 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 MHC.

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than Mount Holyoke College (87% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Rhode Island School of Design earn on average $1,100 more per year than MHC graduates after ten years. ($51,100 vs. $50,000)
  • Mount Holyoke College students graduate with a $5,794 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($21,206 vs. $27,000)
  • MHC graduates are paying $60 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($219 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MHC students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 77%)

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