Pomona vs. RISD

Should I go to Pomona College or Rhode Island School of Design? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Pomona 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Claremont McKenna HMC Stanford Pratt Institute USC Cal Poly UCLA Swarthmore Amherst Oxy Scripps College WUSTL
Pomona College vs. Rhode Island School of Design comparison
Pomona College Rhode Island School of Design College 3 College 4
Pomona College Rhode Island School of Design
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Pomona RISD
Location Claremont, CA Providence, RI
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 1,716 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #21 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pomona.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Pomona RISD
Tuition (In State) $58,818 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $58,818 $56,435
Room & Board $19,358 $15,234
Avg Net Price $19,962 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $57,848 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 47% 34%

Admission

Pomona RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,666 5,099
Admitted 749 888
Acceptance Rate 7% 17.4%
Enrolled % 55.1% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 33/35 29/33
SAT Range 1480/1560 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 8, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Pomona RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (9%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

Pomona RISD
Graduation Rate 95% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,500 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments - 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $113 $279

Diversity

Pomona RISD
% Men 45% 33%
% Women 55% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 40% 31%
% Black 7% 2%
% Hispanic 15% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 4%
% International 10% 26%
% Unknown Race 6% 8%

Students

Pomona RISD
% In-State 24% 1%
% Out-of-State 55% 58%

Campus

Pomona 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 Pomona based on total student enrollment (2,620 students vs. 1,716 students)

Pomona vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pomona or RISD?

  • Pomona College is 4.2% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($58,818.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.2% higher at Pomona than Rhode Island School of Design ($58,818.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pomona College than RISD ($19,962 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 27.1% lower than costs at Pomona College ($15,234 vs. $19,358)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pomona College than Rhode Island School of Design (47% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pomona College students is 54.3% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($57,848 vs. $37,480)

Pomona vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Pomona College (1435) is 162 points higher than at RISD (1273)
  • Incoming Pomona students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at RISD (29)
  • Accepted freshman Pomona students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • RISD has a higher acceptance rate (17.4%) than Pomona (7%)

Pomona vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Pomona 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 Pomona.

  • The graduation rate at Pomona is higher than Rhode Island School of Design (95% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Pomona College earn on average $19,400 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($70,500 vs. $51,100)
  • Pomona College students graduate with a $16,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($11,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Pomona graduates are paying $166 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($113 vs. $279)

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