BC vs. RISD

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

BC RISD
Location Chestnut Hill, MA Providence, RI
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 15,287 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #45 #96
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bc.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BC RISD
Tuition (In State) $62,950 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $62,950 $56,435
Room & Board $16,120 $15,234
Avg Net Price $30,559 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $49,992 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 40% 34%

Admission

BC RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,494 5,099
Admitted 6,748 888
Acceptance Rate 16.7% 17.4%
Enrolled % 34.6% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 33/35 29/33
SAT Range 1435/1540 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 1, 2024 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

BC RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

BC RISD
Graduation Rate 91% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $90,900 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $196 $279

Diversity

BC RISD
% Men 45% 33%
% Women 55% 67%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 31%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 6% 26%
% Unknown Race 6% 8%

Students

BC RISD
% In-State 21% 1%
% Out-of-State 71% 58%

Campus

BC RISD
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Boston College is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (15,287 students vs. 2,620 students)

BC vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or RISD?

  • Boston College is 11.5% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($62,950.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.5% higher at BC than Rhode Island School of Design ($62,950.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston College than RISD ($30,559 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 5.8% lower than costs at Boston College ($15,234 vs. $16,120)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Boston College than Rhode Island School of Design (40% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston College students is 33.4% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($49,992 vs. $37,480)

BC vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Boston College (1380) is 107 points higher than at RISD (1273)
  • Incoming BC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at RISD (29)
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • RISD has a higher acceptance rate (17.4%) than BC (16.7%)

BC vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BC 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 BC.

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than Rhode Island School of Design (91% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Boston College earn on average $39,800 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($90,900 vs. $51,100)
  • Boston College students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($19,000 vs. $27,000)
  • BC graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($196 vs. $279)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RISD students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 89%)

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