Penn State vs. RISD

Deciding between Penn State Main Campus and Rhode Island School of Design? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Penn State Main Campus
Rhode Island School of Design

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • RISD Providence, RI
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • RISD Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • RISD 2,520
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • RISD Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • RISD #92
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • RISD -
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • RISD Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • RISD

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • RISD $62,688
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • RISD $62,688
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • RISD $16,626
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • RISD $43,492
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • RISD $38,223
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • RISD 31%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • RISD 6,692
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • RISD 1,249
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • RISD 18.7%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • RISD 41.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • RISD 1460
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • RISD 32
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • RISD 3.71
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • RISD A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • RISD Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • RISD Very High
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • RISD 31/34
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • RISD 1396/1530
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Test optional
  • RISD Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • RISD Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State 16:1
  • RISD 8:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • RISD
    • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
    • Architecture (18%)
    • Work and Family Studies (5%)
    • Precision Production Trades (4%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State 87%
  • RISD 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State $55,300
  • RISD $51,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State 69%
  • RISD 89%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State $26,818
  • RISD $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State $277
  • RISD $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 52%
  • RISD 29%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 48%
  • RISD 71%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • RISD Very High
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • RISD No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • RISD 31%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • RISD 19%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • RISD 2%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • RISD 8%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • RISD 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • RISD 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • RISD 4%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • RISD 26%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • RISD 8%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • RISD 2%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • RISD 55%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Penn State Yes
  • RISD Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Penn State Yes
  • RISD No
  • Meal Plan
  • Penn State Yes
  • RISD Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Penn State Yes
  • RISD No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Penn State Yes
  • RISD No

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA with Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than RISD based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 2,520 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); Rhode Island School of Design is in Providence, RI (Midsize City setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Rhode Island School of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; Rhode Island School of Design 8:1.

Penn State vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or RISD? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than RISD ($27,889 vs. $43,492).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 12.9% lower than at Rhode Island School of Design ($14,474 vs. $16,626).
  • Rhode Island School of Design is 203.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $42,044 more per year; $62,688.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 50% higher at RISD than at Penn State Main Campus (about $20,898 more per year; $62,688.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Penn State Main Campus than at Rhode Island School of Design (37% vs. 31%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students is 237.2% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($38,223 vs. $11,336).

Penn State vs. RISD Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State or RISD? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between RISD and Penn State.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Rhode Island School of Design (1460) is 130 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming RISD students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420; Rhode Island School of Design 1396/1530.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32; Rhode Island School of Design 31/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Test optional; RISD - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: RISD Feb 1, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than RISD (18.7%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 41.5% at RISD.

Penn State vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State and RISD? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is the same as at Rhode Island School of Design (87% vs. 87%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $4,200 more per year than RISD graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $51,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than RISD graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than RISD graduates ($277 vs. $279).
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.