Penn State vs. RISD

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

 Penn State RISD
Location University Park, PA Providence, RI
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 50,028 2,620
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #167 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State RISD
Tuition (In State) $18,368 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $35,946 $56,435
Room & Board $12,744 $15,234
Avg Net Price $26,747 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $10,066 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 44% 34%

Admission

 Penn State RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 85,784 5,099
Admitted 47,360 888
Acceptance Rate 55.2% 17.4%
Enrolled % 19.5% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA - 3.71
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 26/31 29/33
SAT Range 1210/1390 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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Penn State RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

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

Diversity

 Penn State RISD
% Men 53% 33%
% Women 47% 67%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 69% 31%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 11% 26%
% Unknown Race 2% 8%

Students

 Penn State RISD
% In-State 51% 1%
% Out-of-State 40% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 2,620 students)

Penn State vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or RISD?

  • Rhode Island School of Design is 207.2% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($56,435.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57% higher at RISD than Penn State Main Campus ($56,435.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than RISD ($26,747 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 19.5% lower than costs at Rhode Island School of Design ($12,744 vs. $15,234)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Main Campus than Rhode Island School of Design (44% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students is 272.3% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($37,480 vs. $10,066)

Penn State vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rhode Island School of Design (1273) is 71 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming RISD students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than RISD (17.4%)

Penn State vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State 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 Penn State.

  • 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 on average $4,200 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $51,100)
  • Penn State Main Campus students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans 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/