Tufts vs. RISD

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

Tufts RISD
Location Medford, MA Providence, RI
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 13,431 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #32 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website tufts.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Tufts RISD
Tuition (In State) $63,804 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $63,804 $56,435
Room & Board $16,778 $15,234
Avg Net Price $30,479 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $51,613 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 39% 34%

Admission

Tufts RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 34,882 5,099
Admitted 3,381 888
Acceptance Rate 9.7% 17.4%
Enrolled % 50.1% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 33/35 29/33
SAT Range 1450/1550 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 1, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Tufts RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (31%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

Tufts RISD
Graduation Rate 90% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $83,100 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $186 $279

Diversity

Tufts RISD
% Men 41% 33%
% Women 59% 67%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 31%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 9% 26%
% Unknown Race 7% 8%

Students

Tufts RISD
% In-State 21% 1%
% Out-of-State 65% 58%

Campus

Tufts RISD
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

  • Tufts University is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (13,431 students vs. 2,620 students)

Tufts vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Tufts or RISD?

  • Tufts University is 13.1% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($63,804.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.1% higher at Tufts than Rhode Island School of Design ($63,804.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Tufts University than RISD ($30,479 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 10.1% lower than costs at Tufts University ($15,234 vs. $16,778)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Tufts University than Rhode Island School of Design (39% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Tufts University students is 37.7% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($51,613 vs. $37,480)

Tufts vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Tufts University (1424) is 151 points higher than at RISD (1273)
  • Incoming Tufts students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at RISD (29)
  • Accepted freshman Tufts students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • RISD has a higher acceptance rate (17.4%) than Tufts (9.7%)

Tufts vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Tufts 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 Tufts.

  • The graduation rate at Tufts is higher than Rhode Island School of Design (90% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Tufts University earn on average $32,000 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($83,100 vs. $51,100)
  • Tufts University students graduate with a $9,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($18,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Tufts graduates are paying $93 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($186 vs. $279)
  • More Tufts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RISD students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 89%)

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