Regional university
#2 Best colleges in Rhode IslandRhode Island School of Design
Providence, RI · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $50,507 a year
Median debt at graduation: $27,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges in America#72 of 1,829
- Best test-optional colleges in America#65 of 1,481
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#90 of 1,829
- Best colleges for art and design in America#61 of 1,187
- Best mid-size colleges in America#39 of 667
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#58 of 704
Show 3 more
In Rhode Island
- Best colleges in Rhode Island#2 of 11
- Best test-optional colleges in Rhode Island#2 of 11
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Rhode Island#2 of 11
- Best colleges for art and design in Rhode Island#2 of 9
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in Rhode Island#2 of 9
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Rhode Island#2 of 9
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.89%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.95%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,473 · ACT 32.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.8 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$21,446
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $81,727 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 2,092 |
|---|---|
| Men and women Undergraduates, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) | Men 29% · Women 71% |
| First-generation students Share of students who are first-generation, by the College Scorecard’s definition | 11% |
| First-year students from another state Of first-time students whose home is a U.S. state, fall 2023 (IPEDS) | 98% |
| Total students | 2,540 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $50,507 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $81,727 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 89% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 92% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years Borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within 3 years (College Scorecard) | 87% |
| First-year retention | 95% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $68,140 |
| Admission rate | 19% |
| Application fee Undergraduate application fee, 2023–24 (IPEDS) | $60 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 15% |
| Average SAT | 1473 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 688–750 |
| SAT math | 708–780 |
| ACT composite | 31–34 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Solid (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Design | |
| Apparel and Textiles | |
| Film and video | |
| Fine arts | |
| Woodworking |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Architectural Sciences and Technology, Architecture, Interior Architecture, Software and media applications, Systems Science and Theory.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Computer and information sciences | |
| Architecture | |
| Precision production |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 0% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 2% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $16,626 |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 8 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 39%Of instructional faculty, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) |
| Endowment per student | $156,944Endowment at the end of fiscal year 2023, per full-time-equivalent student (IPEDS) |
| Dorm space | For about 69% of studentsCampus beds divided by undergraduate enrollment. Not how many students live on campus (IPEDS) |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport (PVD)About 7 miles away in a straight line (OurAirports) |
| Town population | 191,7672020–2024 five-year estimate (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | BostonAbout 41 miles away in a straight line (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Average temperature in January | 30°F1991–2020 normal, from PROVIDENCE T F GREEN AP, RI US, about 7 miles away (NOAA) |
| Average temperature in July | 74°F1991–2020 normal, from PROVIDENCE T F GREEN AP, RI US, about 7 miles away (NOAA) |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 3.17 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.40 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 2.78 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Rhode Island School of Design’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 5% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Rhode Island School of Design cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $50,507 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Rhode Island School of Design?
- Rhode Island School of Design admitted 19% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Rhode Island School of Design’s graduates do?
- 89% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $68,140; the median federal debt at graduation is $27,000.
Ask the school
Something you want to know that isn’t on this page? Ask it here. We send it to the school, and their answer appears on this page. Your name is never shared.
Reviews
Personal experiences from signed-in readers. Reviews are moderated automatically and never change a school’s grades.
No reviews yet.
Sign in to write a review.
My rating and notes
Sign in or create a free account to rate this school privately, keep notes, and save it to your list.
About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 217493
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (larger programs)
- Accreditation: National Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation; New England Commission of Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Report an error or a newer source
- Respond as this school
Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
Compare side by side: Rhode Island School of Design vs Savannah College of Art and Design · Rhode Island School of Design vs Maryland Institute College of Art · Rhode Island School of Design vs Art Center College of Design · Rhode Island School of Design vs Otis College of Art and Design
More in Rhode Island · Rhode Island rankings