Purchase College vs. RISD

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

 Purchase College RISD
Location Purchase, NY Providence, RI
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 3,182 2,620
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #319 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Purchase College RISD
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $56,435
Room & Board $14,948 $15,234
Avg Net Price $19,434 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $10,312 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 34%

Admission

 Purchase College RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,747 5,099
Admitted 4,292 888
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 17.4%
Enrolled % 16% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.71
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 29/31 29/33
SAT Range 1190/1350 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 Jul 1, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Purchase College RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 Purchase College RISD
Graduation Rate 56% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $279

Diversity

 Purchase College RISD
% Men 42% 33%
% Women 58% 67%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 31%
% Black 10% 2%
% Hispanic 18% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 2% 26%
% Unknown Race 7% 8%

Students

 Purchase College RISD
% In-State 85% 1%
% Out-of-State 14% 58%

Campus

 Purchase College 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

  • SUNY at Purchase College is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (3,182 students vs. 2,620 students)

Purchase College vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Purchase College or RISD?

  • Rhode Island School of Design is 698.2% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($56,435.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 232.4% higher at RISD than SUNY at Purchase College ($56,435.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than RISD ($19,434 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 1.9% lower than costs at Rhode Island School of Design ($14,948 vs. $15,234)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Purchase College than Rhode Island School of Design (73% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students is 263.5% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($37,480 vs. $10,312)

Purchase College vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rhode Island School of Design (1273) is 191 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
  • Incoming RISD students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Purchase College (25)
  • Accepted freshman RISD students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than RISD (17.4%)

Purchase College vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase College 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 Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (87% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Rhode Island School of Design earn on average $10,900 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($51,100 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($22,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($232 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 65%)

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