Rutgers vs. RISD

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

 Rutgers RISD
Location New Brunswick, NJ Providence, RI
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 50,617 2,540
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #113 #90
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rutgers.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Rutgers RISD
Tuition (In State) $13,674 $58,690
Tuition (Out of State) $32,436 $58,690
Room & Board $14,715 $15,850
Avg Net Price $19,052 $42,106
Avg Grant Aid $16,249 $36,743
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 33%

Admission

 Rutgers RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 43,347 7,126
Admitted 28,326 984
Acceptance Rate 65.3% 13.8%
Enrolled % 27.1% 51.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.71
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 28/33 30/33
SAT Range 1270/1480 1370/1540
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

Academics

 Rutgers RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 Rutgers RISD
Graduation Rate 77% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,200 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,215 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $229 $279

Diversity

 Rutgers RISD
% Men 10% 5%
% Women 18% 13%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 31%
% Black 7% 2%
% Hispanic 13% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 7% 26%
% Unknown Race 2% 8%

Students

 Rutgers RISD
% In-State 84% 1%
% Out-of-State 8% 61%

Campus

 Rutgers 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

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (50,617 students vs. 2,540 students)

Rutgers vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rutgers or RISD?

  • Rhode Island School of Design is 329.2% more expensive to attend than Rutgers for in-state tuition ($58,690.00 vs. $13,674.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 80.9% higher at RISD than Rutgers University New Brunswick ($58,690.00 vs. $32,436.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rutgers University New Brunswick than RISD ($19,052 vs. $42,106)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 7.7% lower than costs at Rhode Island School of Design ($14,715 vs. $15,850)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rutgers University New Brunswick than Rhode Island School of Design (52% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students is 126.1% larger than aid received Rutgers University New Brunswick ($36,743 vs. $16,249)

Rutgers vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rhode Island School of Design (1273) is 48 points higher than at Rutgers (1225)
  • Accepted freshman RISD students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at Rutgers (3.3)
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (65.3%) than RISD (13.8%)

Rutgers vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rutgers 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 Rutgers.

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than Rutgers University New Brunswick (87% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Rutgers University New Brunswick earn on average $15,100 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($66,200 vs. $51,100)
  • Rutgers University New Brunswick students graduate with a $4,785 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($22,215 vs. $27,000)
  • Rutgers graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($229 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 68%)

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