IIT vs. RISD

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

 IIT RISD
Location Chicago, IL Providence, RI
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 6,943 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #186 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iit.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IIT RISD
Tuition (In State) $48,670 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $48,670 $56,435
Room & Board $15,570 $15,234
Avg Net Price $28,702 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $40,243 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 34%

Admission

 IIT RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,243 5,099
Admitted 4,450 888
Acceptance Rate 61.4% 17.4%
Enrolled % 13.9% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 28/32 29/33
SAT Range 1220/1410 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 Mar 1, 2024 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

 IIT RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (50%)
  • Architecture (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (8%)
  • Business (7%)
  • Biology (4%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 IIT RISD
Graduation Rate 64% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $79,300 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

 IIT RISD
% Men 63% 33%
% Women 37% 67%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 33% 31%
% Black 6% 2%
% Hispanic 16% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 26% 26%
% Unknown Race 4% 8%

Students

 IIT RISD
% In-State 60% 1%
% Out-of-State 29% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois Institute of Technology is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (6,943 students vs. 2,620 students)

IIT vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IIT or RISD?

  • Rhode Island School of Design is 16% more expensive to attend than IIT for in-state tuition ($56,435.00 vs. $48,670.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16% higher at RISD than Illinois Institute of Technology ($56,435.00 vs. $48,670.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois Institute of Technology than RISD ($28,702 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 2.2% lower than costs at Illinois Institute of Technology ($15,234 vs. $15,570)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Institute of Technology than Rhode Island School of Design (99% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Institute of Technology students is 7.4% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($40,243 vs. $37,480)

IIT vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rhode Island School of Design (1273) is 22 points higher than at IIT (1251)
  • Incoming RISD students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at IIT (28)
  • Accepted freshman IIT students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • IIT has a higher acceptance rate (61.4%) than RISD (17.4%)

IIT vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IIT 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 IIT.

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than Illinois Institute of Technology (87% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Institute of Technology earn on average $28,200 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($79,300 vs. $51,100)
  • Rhode Island School of Design and IIT graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Rhode Island School of Design and IIT graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IIT students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 81%)

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