RISD vs. UVM

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

 RISD UVM
Location Providence, RI Burlington, VT
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 2,540 14,320
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #90 #205
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website risd.edu uvm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RISD UVM
Tuition (In State) $58,690 $16,280
Tuition (Out of State) $58,690 $41,280
Room & Board $15,850 $13,354
Avg Net Price $42,106 $22,062
Avg Grant Aid $36,743 $19,093
% Receiving Grant Aid 33% 100%

Admission

 RISD UVM
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,126 28,236
Admitted 984 16,947
Acceptance Rate 13.8% 60%
Enrolled % 51.2% 17.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.71 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 30/33 29/32
SAT Range 1370/1540 1250/1420
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 UVM
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 RISD UVM
Graduation Rate 87% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,100 $53,500
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,300
Median Loan Payment $279 $230

Diversity

 RISD UVM
% Men 5% 6%
% Women 13% 9%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 31% 82%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 8% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 26% 4%
% Unknown Race 8% 3%

Students

 RISD UVM
% In-State 1% 18%
% Out-of-State 61% 79%

Campus

 RISD UVM
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

  • University of Vermont is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (14,320 students vs. 2,540 students)

RISD vs. UVM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RISD or UVM?

  • Rhode Island School of Design is 260.5% more expensive to attend than UVM for in-state tuition ($58,690.00 vs. $16,280.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42.2% higher at RISD than University of Vermont ($58,690.00 vs. $41,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Vermont than RISD ($22,062 vs. $42,106)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Vermont are 18.7% lower than costs at Rhode Island School of Design ($13,354 vs. $15,850)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Vermont than Rhode Island School of Design (100% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students is 92.4% larger than aid received University of Vermont ($36,743 vs. $19,093)

RISD vs. UVM Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rhode Island School of Design (1273) is 62 points higher than at UVM (1211)
  • Incoming RISD students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UVM (28)
  • Accepted freshman UVM students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • UVM has a higher acceptance rate (60%) than RISD (13.8%)

RISD vs. UVM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RISD or UVM? 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 UVM and RISD.

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than University of Vermont (87% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from University of Vermont earn on average $2,400 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $51,100)
  • University of Vermont students graduate with a $4,700 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($22,300 vs. $27,000)
  • UVM graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($230 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UVM students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 83%)

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