Princeton vs. RISD

Deciding between Princeton University and Rhode Island School of Design? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Princeton University
Rhode Island School of Design

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Princeton Princeton, NJ
  • RISD Providence, RI
  • Setting
  • Princeton Large Suburban
  • RISD Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Princeton 9,137
  • RISD 2,520
  • Type
  • Princeton Private 4 Year
  • RISD Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Princeton #1
  • RISD #92
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Princeton -
  • RISD -
  • Status
  • Princeton Non-profit
  • RISD Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Princeton
  • RISD

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Princeton $62,688
  • RISD $62,688
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Princeton $62,688
  • RISD $62,688
  • Room & Board
  • Princeton $20,250
  • RISD $16,626
  • Average Net Price
  • Princeton $15,313
  • RISD $43,492
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Princeton $68,727
  • RISD $38,223
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Princeton 67%
  • RISD 31%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Princeton 40,468
  • RISD 6,692
  • Admitted
  • Princeton 1,868
  • RISD 1,249
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Princeton 4.6%
  • RISD 18.7%
  • Enrolled
  • Princeton 75.5%
  • RISD 41.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Princeton 1550
  • RISD 1460
  • Typical ACT score
  • Princeton 34
  • RISD 32
  • Average High School GPA
  • Princeton 3.93
  • RISD 3.71
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Princeton A
  • RISD A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Princeton Elite
  • RISD Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Princeton Extreme
  • RISD Very High
  • ACT Range
  • Princeton 34/35
  • RISD 31/34
  • SAT Range
  • Princeton 1510/1580
  • RISD 1396/1530
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Princeton Test optional
  • RISD Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Princeton Jan 1, 2027
  • RISD Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Princeton 5:1
  • RISD 8:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Princeton
    • Social Sciences (25%)
    • Engineering (17%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • History (7%)
    • Human Services (7%)
  • RISD
    • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
    • Architecture (18%)
    • Work and Family Studies (5%)
    • Precision Production Trades (4%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Princeton 96%
  • RISD 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Princeton $113,900
  • RISD $51,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Princeton 83%
  • RISD 89%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Princeton $7,500
  • RISD $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Princeton $77
  • RISD $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Princeton 52%
  • RISD 29%
  • % Women
  • Princeton 48%
  • RISD 71%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Princeton Very High
  • RISD Very High
  • HBCU
  • Princeton No
  • RISD No
  • % White
  • Princeton 45%
  • RISD 31%
  • % Asian
  • Princeton 22%
  • RISD 19%
  • % Black
  • Princeton 8%
  • RISD 2%
  • % Hispanic
  • Princeton 9%
  • RISD 8%
  • % Native American
  • Princeton 0%
  • RISD 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Princeton 0%
  • RISD 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Princeton 4%
  • RISD 4%
  • % International
  • Princeton 11%
  • RISD 26%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Princeton 2%
  • RISD 8%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Princeton 14%
  • RISD 2%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Princeton 74%
  • RISD 55%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Princeton Yes
  • RISD Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Princeton Yes
  • RISD No
  • Meal Plan
  • Princeton Yes
  • RISD Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Princeton No
  • RISD No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Princeton No
  • RISD No

Comparable Facts

Compare Princeton University in Princeton, NJ with Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Princeton University is larger than RISD based on total student enrollment (9,137 students vs. 2,520 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Princeton University is located in Princeton, NJ (Large Suburban setting); Rhode Island School of Design is in Providence, RI (Midsize City setting).
  • Princeton University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Rhode Island School of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Princeton University 5:1; Rhode Island School of Design 8:1.

Princeton vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Princeton or RISD? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than RISD ($15,313 vs. $43,492).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 17.9% lower than at Princeton University ($16,626 vs. $20,250).
  • Princeton University and RISD have the same published in-state tuition ($62,688.00 vs. $62,688.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is the same at Princeton as at Rhode Island School of Design ($62,688.00 vs. $62,688.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Princeton University than at Rhode Island School of Design (67% vs. 31%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 79.8% larger than aid received by Rhode Island School of Design students ($68,727 vs. $38,223).

Princeton vs. RISD Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Princeton or RISD? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between RISD and Princeton.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Princeton University (1550) is 90 points higher than at RISD (1460).
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 32 at RISD).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Princeton University 1510/1580; Rhode Island School of Design 1396/1530.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Princeton University 34/35; Rhode Island School of Design 31/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Princeton - Test optional; RISD - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Princeton Jan 1, 2027; RISD Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Princeton students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at RISD (3.71).
  • RISD has a higher acceptance rate (18.7%) than Princeton (4.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 75.5% at Princeton vs. 41.5% at RISD.

Princeton vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Princeton and RISD? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Princeton University's six-year graduation rate (96%) is higher than Rhode Island School of Design's (87%).
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn a median of about $62,800 more per year than RISD graduates about ten years after starting college ($113,900 vs. $51,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Princeton University graduates have a $19,500 lower median loan debt than RISD graduates ($7,500 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Princeton graduates have an estimated $202 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than RISD graduates ($77 vs. $279).
  • More RISD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Princeton 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.