SUNY Poly vs. RISD

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

 SUNY Poly RISD
Location Utica, NY Providence, RI
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 2,842 2,620
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #257 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sunyit.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SUNY Poly RISD
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $17,830 $56,435
Room & Board $14,008 $15,234
Avg Net Price $13,799 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $9,497 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 34%

Admission

 SUNY Poly RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,919 5,099
Admitted 2,384 888
Acceptance Rate 81.7% 17.4%
Enrolled % 16% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 23/31 29/33
SAT Range 1040/1400 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 Aug 1, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 SUNY Poly RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Engineering Technology (20%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 SUNY Poly RISD
Graduation Rate 47% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,200 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,585 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $171 $279

Diversity

 SUNY Poly RISD
% Men 59% 33%
% Women 41% 67%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 79% 31%
% Black 6% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 1% 26%
% Unknown Race 0% 8%

Students

 SUNY Poly RISD
% In-State 95% 1%
% Out-of-State 3% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY Polytechnic Institute is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (2,842 students vs. 2,620 students)

SUNY Poly vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY Poly or RISD?

  • Rhode Island School of Design is 698.2% more expensive to attend than SUNY Poly for in-state tuition ($56,435.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 216.5% higher at RISD than SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($56,435.00 vs. $17,830.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than RISD ($13,799 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY Polytechnic Institute are 8.8% lower than costs at Rhode Island School of Design ($14,008 vs. $15,234)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than Rhode Island School of Design (89% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students is 294.7% larger than aid received SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($37,480 vs. $9,497)

SUNY Poly vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rhode Island School of Design (1273) is 132 points higher than at SUNY Poly (1141)
  • Incoming RISD students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at SUNY Poly (26)
  • Accepted freshman RISD students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at SUNY Poly (3.7)
  • SUNY Poly has a higher acceptance rate (81.7%) than RISD (17.4%)

SUNY Poly vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SUNY Poly 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 SUNY Poly.

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than SUNY Polytechnic Institute (87% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from SUNY Polytechnic Institute earn on average $2,100 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($53,200 vs. $51,100)
  • SUNY Polytechnic Institute students graduate with a $10,415 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($16,585 vs. $27,000)
  • SUNY Poly graduates are paying $108 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($171 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Poly students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 63%)

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