RISD vs. Rhodes College

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

RISD Rhodes College
Location Providence, RI Memphis, TN
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 2,540 1,952
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #90 #136
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website risd.edu rhodes.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

RISD Rhodes College
Tuition (In State) $58,690 $54,082
Tuition (Out of State) $58,690 $54,082
Room & Board $15,850 $12,910
Avg Net Price $42,106 $30,590
Avg Grant Aid $36,743 $37,543
% Receiving Grant Aid 33% 100%

Admission

RISD Rhodes College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,126 6,025
Admitted 984 2,993
Acceptance Rate 13.8% 49.7%
Enrolled % 51.2% 16.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.71 3.99
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 30/33 28/33
SAT Range 1370/1540 1290/1490
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, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

RISD Rhodes College
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (9%)

Outcomes

RISD Rhodes College
Graduation Rate 87% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,100 $59,400
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,217
Median Loan Payment $279 $271

Diversity

RISD Rhodes College
% Men 5% 0%
% Women 13% 0%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 31% 74%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 26% 3%
% Unknown Race 8% 2%

Students

RISD Rhodes College
% In-State 1% 36%
% Out-of-State 61% 59%

Campus

RISD Rhodes College
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 Rhodes College based on total student enrollment (2,540 students vs. 1,952 students)

RISD vs. Rhodes College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RISD or Rhodes College?

  • Rhode Island School of Design is 8.5% more expensive to attend than Rhodes College for in-state tuition ($58,690.00 vs. $54,082.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.5% higher at RISD than Rhodes College ($58,690.00 vs. $54,082.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rhodes College than RISD ($30,590 vs. $42,106)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhodes College are 22.8% lower than costs at Rhode Island School of Design ($12,910 vs. $15,850)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rhodes College than Rhode Island School of Design (100% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rhodes College students is 2.2% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($37,543 vs. $36,743)

RISD vs. Rhodes College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rhodes College (1306) is 33 points higher than at RISD (1273)
  • Incoming Rhodes College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at RISD (29)
  • Accepted freshman Rhodes College students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • Rhodes College has a higher acceptance rate (49.7%) than RISD (13.8%)

RISD vs. Rhodes College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RISD or Rhodes College? 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 Rhodes College and RISD.

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than Rhodes College (87% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from Rhodes College earn on average $8,300 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($59,400 vs. $51,100)
  • Rhodes College students graduate with a $783 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($26,217 vs. $27,000)
  • Rhodes College graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($271 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rhodes College students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 79%)

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