Amherst vs. RISD

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

Amherst RISD
Location Amherst, MA Providence, RI
Setting Town Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 1,898 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst RISD
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $56,435
Room & Board $16,750 $15,234
Avg Net Price $21,367 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 34%

Admission

Amherst RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 5,099
Admitted 1,079 888
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 17.4%
Enrolled % 43.3% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 32/35 29/33
SAT Range 1420/1550 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 2, 2024 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

Amherst RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

Amherst RISD
Graduation Rate 96% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $134 $279

Diversity

Amherst RISD
% Men 48% 33%
% Women 52% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 31%
% Black 12% 2%
% Hispanic 13% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 10% 26%
% Unknown Race 4% 8%

Students

Amherst RISD
% In-State 13% 1%
% Out-of-State 74% 58%

Campus

Amherst 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 Amherst based on total student enrollment (2,620 students vs. 1,898 students)

Amherst vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or RISD?

  • Amherst College is 12.5% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.5% higher at Amherst than Rhode Island School of Design ($63,500.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than RISD ($21,367 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 10% lower than costs at Amherst College ($15,234 vs. $16,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Amherst College than Rhode Island School of Design (58% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 56.6% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($58,693 vs. $37,480)

Amherst vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 178 points higher than at RISD (1273)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at RISD (29)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • RISD has a higher acceptance rate (17.4%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Amherst vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst 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 Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Rhode Island School of Design (96% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $30,900 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $51,100)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $14,025 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($12,975 vs. $27,000)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $145 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($134 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Amherst 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/