Ursinus College vs. RISD

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

Ursinus College RISD
Location Collegeville, PA Providence, RI
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 1,527 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #214 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ursinus.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Ursinus College RISD
Tuition (In State) $58,016 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $58,016 $56,435
Room & Board $14,624 $15,234
Avg Net Price $33,546 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $40,075 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 34%

Admission

Ursinus College RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,237 5,099
Admitted 2,661 888
Acceptance Rate 82.2% 17.4%
Enrolled % 14.3% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.71
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 28/32 29/33
SAT Range 1180/1380 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 May 1, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Ursinus College RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Biology (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

Ursinus College RISD
Graduation Rate 80% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,000 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Ursinus College RISD
% Men 52% 33%
% Women 48% 67%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 31%
% Black 6% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 2% 26%
% Unknown Race 3% 8%

Students

Ursinus College RISD
% In-State 63% 1%
% Out-of-State 36% 58%

Campus

Ursinus College 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

  • Rhode Island School of Design is larger than than Ursinus College based on total student enrollment (2,620 students vs. 1,527 students)

Ursinus College vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Ursinus College or RISD?

  • Ursinus College is 2.8% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($58,016.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.8% higher at Ursinus College than Rhode Island School of Design ($58,016.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ursinus College than RISD ($33,546 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ursinus College are 4.2% lower than costs at Rhode Island School of Design ($14,624 vs. $15,234)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ursinus College than Rhode Island School of Design (100% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ursinus College students is 6.9% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($40,075 vs. $37,480)

Ursinus College vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman RISD students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at Ursinus College (3.53)
  • Ursinus College has a higher acceptance rate (82.2%) than RISD (17.4%)

Ursinus College vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Ursinus 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 Ursinus College.

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than Ursinus College (87% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Ursinus College earn on average $6,900 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($58,000 vs. $51,100)
  • Rhode Island School of Design and Ursinus College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Rhode Island School of Design and Ursinus College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ursinus College students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 83%)

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