Rhode Island School of Design
Providence, RI · Private · Midsize city · RISD
Private institution in Providence, RI · 2,090 undergraduates · 14% acceptance rate · $68,140 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 3%Acceptance rate
- Top 5%Graduation rate (4-year)
- Top 5%Average SAT
- Top 8%Median ACT
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $46,2531,963rd cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $59,7601,941st cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $59,7601,941st cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $78,8571,899th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $27,0001,604th lowest of 1,880 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $68,140315th highest of 1,969 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $45,932805th highest of 1,964 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 88.5%95th highest of 2,031 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 92.9%173rd highest of 1,853 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 13.8%53rd most selective of 1,608 reporting
- Average SAT
- 148049th highest of 1,024 reporting
- Median ACT
- 3176th highest of 954 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 2,090915th largest of 2,162 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 8.0:1216th smallest of 2,159 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 14.0%1,971st highest of 2,140 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 43 mi (BOS)
On 3 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Applying
- EDNov 3
- RDJan 20
- Common App member
- Yes
- Application fee
- $60
- Personal essay
- Required
- Writing supplement
- No
Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 9 of 9 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | bachelors | $50,439 | $50,439 |
| Apparel and TextilesFamily & Consumer Sciences | bachelors | $45,696 | $41,937 |
| Design and Applied ArtsVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | $36,900 | $36,166 |
| WoodworkingPrecision Production | bachelors | $29,685 | $30,228 |
| Fine and Studio ArtsVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | $25,194 | $22,627 |
| Film/Video and Photographic ArtsVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | $20,388 | $22,192 |
| Architectural Sciences and TechnologyArchitecture | bachelors | — | — |
| Interior ArchitectureArchitecture | bachelors | — | — |
| Systems Science and TheoryMultidisciplinary Studies | bachelors | — | — |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1877source
- School colors: #2454FFsource
- Mascot: Scrotiesource
- Campus size: about 13 acressource
- A AICAD]], [[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program institutionsource
- A space-grant]] institutionsource
- Notable alum: James Francosource
- Notable alum: Seth MacFarlanesource
- Notable alum: Gus Van Santsource
- Notable alum: Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmlandsource
- Notable alum: David Byrnesource
Key links
- Official websiterisd.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 217493)
- Compare colleges in RIRe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in Rhode IslandEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Showdown: Rhode Island School of Design vs Salve Regina UniversityHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.