Reed vs. RISD

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

 Reed RISD
Location Portland, OR Providence, RI
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 1,534 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #77 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website reed.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Reed RISD
Tuition (In State) $64,450 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $64,450 $56,435
Room & Board $15,950 $15,234
Avg Net Price $33,106 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $47,864 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 34%

Admission

 Reed RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,023 5,099
Admitted 2,779 888
Acceptance Rate 30.8% 17.4%
Enrolled % 14.2% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.71
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Very High
ACT Range 30/33 29/33
SAT Range 1320/1500 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

 Reed RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Foreign Languages (15%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 Reed RISD
Graduation Rate 80% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,200 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $165 $279

Diversity

 Reed RISD
% Men 42% 33%
% Women 58% 67%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 60% 31%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 11% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 4%
% International 7% 26%
% Unknown Race 5% 8%

Students

 Reed RISD
% In-State 6% 1%
% Out-of-State 87% 58%

Campus

 Reed 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 Reed based on total student enrollment (2,620 students vs. 1,534 students)

Reed vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Reed or RISD?

  • Reed College is 14.2% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($64,450.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.2% higher at Reed than Rhode Island School of Design ($64,450.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Reed College than RISD ($33,106 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 4.7% lower than costs at Reed College ($15,234 vs. $15,950)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Reed College than Rhode Island School of Design (60% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Reed College students is 27.7% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($47,864 vs. $37,480)

Reed vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Reed College (1383) is 110 points higher than at RISD (1273)
  • Incoming Reed students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at RISD (29)
  • Accepted freshman Reed students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • Reed has a higher acceptance rate (30.8%) than RISD (17.4%)

Reed vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Reed 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 Reed.

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than Reed College (87% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Rhode Island School of Design earn on average $3,900 more per year than Reed graduates after ten years. ($51,100 vs. $47,200)
  • Reed College students graduate with a $11,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($16,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Reed graduates are paying $114 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($165 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Reed students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 84%)

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