UMass vs. RISD

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

 UMass RISD
Location Amherst, MA Providence, RI
Setting Town Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 31,810 2,540
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #176 #90
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umass.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMass RISD
Tuition (In State) $16,591 $58,690
Tuition (Out of State) $38,527 $58,690
Room & Board $14,869 $15,850
Avg Net Price $22,954 $42,106
Avg Grant Aid $12,343 $36,743
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 33%

Admission

 UMass RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,424 7,126
Admitted 29,129 984
Acceptance Rate 57.8% 13.8%
Enrolled % 18.1% 51.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.99 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 29/33 30/33
SAT Range 1300/1480 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 Jan 15, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 UMass RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 UMass RISD
Graduation Rate 67% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,200 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $248 $279

Diversity

 UMass RISD
% Men 12% 5%
% Women 12% 13%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 31%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 4% 26%
% Unknown Race 8% 8%

Students

 UMass RISD
% In-State 67% 1%
% Out-of-State 23% 61%

Campus

 UMass 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

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (31,810 students vs. 2,540 students)

UMass vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMass or RISD?

  • Rhode Island School of Design is 253.7% more expensive to attend than UMass for in-state tuition ($58,690.00 vs. $16,591.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52.3% higher at RISD than University of Massachusetts Amherst ($58,690.00 vs. $38,527.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Amherst than RISD ($22,954 vs. $42,106)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Amherst are 6.6% lower than costs at Rhode Island School of Design ($14,869 vs. $15,850)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Amherst than Rhode Island School of Design (75% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students is 197.7% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Amherst ($36,743 vs. $12,343)

UMass vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rhode Island School of Design (1273) is 47 points higher than at UMass (1226)
  • Incoming RISD students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UMass (28)
  • Accepted freshman UMass students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • UMass has a higher acceptance rate (57.8%) than RISD (13.8%)

UMass vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMass 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 UMass.

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than University of Massachusetts Amherst (87% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from University of Massachusetts Amherst earn on average $4,100 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($55,200 vs. $51,100)
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($24,000 vs. $27,000)
  • UMass graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($248 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMass students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 76%)

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