RIT vs. RISD

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

 RIT RISD
Location Rochester, NY Providence, RI
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 16,615 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #172 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rit.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RIT RISD
Tuition (In State) $53,720 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $53,720 $56,435
Room & Board $14,978 $15,234
Avg Net Price $39,600 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $29,122 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 34%

Admission

 RIT RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 23,976 5,099
Admitted 16,105 888
Acceptance Rate 67.2% 17.4%
Enrolled % 19.9% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 29/33 29/33
SAT Range 1270/1450 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 15, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 RIT RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (16%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Engineering Technology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 RIT RISD
Graduation Rate 64% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,900 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $289 $279

Diversity

 RIT RISD
% Men 65% 33%
% Women 35% 67%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 31%
% Black 5% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 6% 26%
% Unknown Race 5% 8%

Students

 RIT RISD
% In-State 47% 1%
% Out-of-State 49% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rochester Institute of Technology is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (16,615 students vs. 2,620 students)

RIT vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RIT or RISD?

  • Rhode Island School of Design is 5.1% more expensive to attend than RIT for in-state tuition ($56,435.00 vs. $53,720.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.1% higher at RISD than Rochester Institute of Technology ($56,435.00 vs. $53,720.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rochester Institute of Technology than RISD ($39,600 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rochester Institute of Technology are 1.7% lower than costs at Rhode Island School of Design ($14,978 vs. $15,234)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rochester Institute of Technology than Rhode Island School of Design (97% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students is 28.7% larger than aid received Rochester Institute of Technology ($37,480 vs. $29,122)

RIT vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rhode Island School of Design (1273) is 22 points higher than at RIT (1251)
  • Incoming RIT students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at RISD (29)
  • Accepted freshman RISD students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at RIT (3.7)
  • RIT has a higher acceptance rate (67.2%) than RISD (17.4%)

RIT vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RIT 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 RIT .

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than Rochester Institute of Technology (87% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Rochester Institute of Technology earn on average $13,800 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($64,900 vs. $51,100)
  • Rhode Island School of Design students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RIT graduates. ($27,000 vs. $28,000)
  • RISD graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than RIT graduates. ($279 vs. $289)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RIT students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 75%)

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