Williams vs. RISD

Deciding between Williams College and Rhode Island School of Design? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Williams College
Rhode Island School of Design

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Williams Williamstown, MA
  • RISD Providence, RI
  • Setting
  • Williams Distant Town
  • RISD Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Williams 2,164
  • RISD 2,520
  • Type
  • Williams Private 4 Year
  • RISD Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Williams #14
  • RISD #92
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Williams -
  • RISD -
  • Status
  • Williams Non-profit
  • RISD Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Williams
  • RISD

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Williams $68,560
  • RISD $62,688
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Williams $68,560
  • RISD $62,688
  • Room & Board
  • Williams $17,260
  • RISD $16,626
  • Average Net Price
  • Williams $15,894
  • RISD $43,492
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Williams $68,966
  • RISD $38,223
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Williams 54%
  • RISD 31%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Williams 15,411
  • RISD 6,692
  • Admitted
  • Williams 1,272
  • RISD 1,249
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Williams 8.3%
  • RISD 18.7%
  • Enrolled
  • Williams 43%
  • RISD 41.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Williams 1530
  • RISD 1460
  • Typical ACT score
  • Williams 34
  • RISD 32
  • Average High School GPA
  • Williams 3.94
  • RISD 3.71
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Williams A
  • RISD A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Williams Elite
  • RISD Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Williams Extreme
  • RISD Very High
  • ACT Range
  • Williams 34/35
  • RISD 31/34
  • SAT Range
  • Williams 1490/1570
  • RISD 1396/1530
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Williams Test optional
  • RISD Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Williams Jan 10, 2027
  • RISD Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Williams 6:1
  • RISD 8:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Williams
    • Social Sciences (25%)
    • Psychology (10%)
    • History (9%)
    • Foreign Languages (8%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • RISD
    • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
    • Architecture (18%)
    • Work and Family Studies (5%)
    • Precision Production Trades (4%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Williams 95%
  • RISD 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Williams $73,600
  • RISD $51,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Williams 83%
  • RISD 89%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Williams $14,582
  • RISD $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Williams $150
  • RISD $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Williams 47%
  • RISD 29%
  • % Women
  • Williams 53%
  • RISD 71%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Williams High
  • RISD Very High
  • HBCU
  • Williams No
  • RISD No
  • % White
  • Williams 54%
  • RISD 31%
  • % Asian
  • Williams 12%
  • RISD 19%
  • % Black
  • Williams 8%
  • RISD 2%
  • % Hispanic
  • Williams 13%
  • RISD 8%
  • % Native American
  • Williams 0%
  • RISD 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Williams 0%
  • RISD 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Williams 6%
  • RISD 4%
  • % International
  • Williams 8%
  • RISD 26%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Williams 0%
  • RISD 8%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Williams 11%
  • RISD 2%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Williams 77%
  • RISD 55%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Williams Yes
  • RISD Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Williams Yes
  • RISD No
  • Meal Plan
  • Williams Yes
  • RISD Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Williams No
  • RISD No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Williams Yes
  • RISD No

Comparable Facts

Compare Williams College in Williamstown, MA with Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Rhode Island School of Design is larger than Williams based on total student enrollment (2,520 students vs. 2,164 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Williams College is located in Williamstown, MA (Distant Town setting); Rhode Island School of Design is in Providence, RI (Midsize City setting).
  • Williams College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Rhode Island School of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Williams College 6:1; Rhode Island School of Design 8:1.

Williams vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Williams or RISD? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Williams College than RISD ($15,894 vs. $43,492).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 3.7% lower than at Williams College ($16,626 vs. $17,260).
  • Williams College is 9.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than RISD (about $5,872 more per year; $68,560.00 vs. $62,688.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 9.4% higher at Williams than at Rhode Island School of Design (about $5,872 more per year; $68,560.00 vs. $62,688.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Williams College than at Rhode Island School of Design (54% vs. 31%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Williams College students is 80.4% larger than aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students ($68,966 vs. $38,223).

Williams vs. RISD Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Williams or RISD? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between RISD and Williams.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Williams College (1530) is 70 points higher than at RISD (1460).
  • Incoming Williams students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 32 at RISD).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Williams College 1490/1570; Rhode Island School of Design 1396/1530.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Williams College 34/35; Rhode Island School of Design 31/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Williams - Test optional; RISD - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Williams Jan 10, 2027; RISD Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Williams students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at RISD (3.71).
  • RISD has a higher acceptance rate (18.7%) than Williams (8.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 43% at Williams vs. 41.5% at RISD.

Williams vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Williams and RISD? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Williams College's six-year graduation rate (95%) is higher than Rhode Island School of Design's (87%).
  • Graduates from Williams College earn a median of about $22,500 more per year than RISD graduates about ten years after starting college ($73,600 vs. $51,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Williams College graduates have a $12,418 lower median loan debt than RISD graduates ($14,582 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Williams graduates have an estimated $129 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than RISD graduates ($150 vs. $279).
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Williams 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.