Penn vs. RISD

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

 Penn RISD
Location Philadelphia, PA Providence, RI
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 28,201 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #23 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website upenn.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn RISD
Tuition (In State) $56,212 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $56,212 $56,435
Room & Board $17,888 $15,234
Avg Net Price $26,123 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $57,175 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 46% 34%

Admission

 Penn RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,588 5,099
Admitted 3,549 888
Acceptance Rate 6.5% 17.4%
Enrolled % 67.9% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 34/35 29/33
SAT Range 1500/1570 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 5, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Penn RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 Penn RISD
Graduation Rate 96% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $123,600 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,633 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $213 $279

Diversity

 Penn RISD
% Men 44% 33%
% Women 56% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 31%
% Black 7% 2%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 11% 26%
% Unknown Race 3% 8%

Students

 Penn RISD
% In-State 16% 1%
% Out-of-State 67% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Pennsylvania is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (28,201 students vs. 2,620 students)

Penn vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn or RISD?

  • Rhode Island School of Design is 0.4% more expensive to attend than Penn for in-state tuition ($56,435.00 vs. $56,212.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.4% higher at RISD than University of Pennsylvania ($56,435.00 vs. $56,212.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pennsylvania than RISD ($26,123 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 17.4% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($15,234 vs. $17,888)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Pennsylvania than Rhode Island School of Design (46% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 52.5% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($57,175 vs. $37,480)

Penn vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 184 points higher than at RISD (1273)
  • Incoming Penn students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at RISD (29)
  • Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • RISD has a higher acceptance rate (17.4%) than Penn (6.5%)

Penn vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn 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 Penn.

  • The graduation rate at Penn is higher than Rhode Island School of Design (96% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $72,500 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $51,100)
  • University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $6,367 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($20,633 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($213 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 84%)

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