Messiah College vs. RISD

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

Messiah College RISD
Location Grantham, PA Providence, RI
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 3,231 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #358 #96
Religious Affiliation Interdenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website messiah.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Messiah College RISD
Tuition (In State) $38,550 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $38,550 $56,435
Room & Board $11,560 $15,234
Avg Net Price $24,120 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $27,519 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 34%

Admission

Messiah College RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,438 5,099
Admitted 1,936 888
Acceptance Rate 79.4% 17.4%
Enrolled % 30.3% 54.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.71
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 25/30 29/33
SAT Range 1090/1340 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 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

Messiah College RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

Messiah College RISD
Graduation Rate 74% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,600 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,989 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

Messiah College RISD
% Men 37% 33%
% Women 63% 67%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 83% 31%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 4% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 4% 26%
% Unknown Race 1% 8%

Students

Messiah College RISD
% In-State 63% 1%
% Out-of-State 35% 58%

Campus

Messiah College 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

  • Messiah College is larger than than RISD based on total student enrollment (3,231 students vs. 2,620 students)

Messiah College vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Messiah College or RISD?

  • Rhode Island School of Design is 46.4% more expensive to attend than Messiah College for in-state tuition ($56,435.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.4% higher at RISD than Messiah College ($56,435.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messiah College than RISD ($24,120 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 31.8% lower than costs at Rhode Island School of Design ($11,560 vs. $15,234)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than Rhode Island School of Design (100% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students is 36.2% larger than aid received Messiah College ($37,480 vs. $27,519)

Messiah College vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rhode Island School of Design (1273) is 144 points higher than at Messiah College (1129)
  • Incoming RISD students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Messiah College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (79.4%) than RISD (17.4%)

Messiah College vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Messiah College 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 Messiah College.

  • The graduation rate at RISD is higher than Messiah College (87% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from Rhode Island School of Design earn on average $2,500 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($51,100 vs. $48,600)
  • Messiah College students graduate with a $1,011 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($25,989 vs. $27,000)
  • Messiah College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messiah College students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 85%)

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