Vassar vs. RISD

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

 Vassar RISD
Location Poughkeepsie, NY Providence, RI
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 2,459 2,620
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #47 #96
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vassar.edu risd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Vassar RISD
Tuition (In State) $63,840 $56,435
Tuition (Out of State) $63,840 $56,435
Room & Board $16,560 $15,234
Avg Net Price $30,603 $39,800
Avg Grant Aid $50,193 $37,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 34%

Admission

 Vassar RISD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,412 5,099
Admitted 2,129 888
Acceptance Rate 18.7% 17.4%
Enrolled % 32% 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 32/34 29/33
SAT Range 1430/1535 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

 Vassar RISD
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Architecture (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 Vassar RISD
Graduation Rate 91% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,400 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,780 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $163 $279

Diversity

 Vassar RISD
% Men 38% 33%
% Women 62% 67%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 31%
% Black 5% 2%
% Hispanic 11% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4%
% International 7% 26%
% Unknown Race 0% 8%

Students

 Vassar RISD
% In-State 24% 1%
% Out-of-State 69% 58%

Campus

 Vassar 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

  • Rhode Island School of Design is larger than than Vassar based on total student enrollment (2,620 students vs. 2,459 students)

Vassar vs. RISD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Vassar or RISD?

  • Vassar College is 13.1% more expensive to attend than RISD for in-state tuition ($63,840.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.1% higher at Vassar than Rhode Island School of Design ($63,840.00 vs. $56,435.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Vassar College than RISD ($30,603 vs. $39,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island School of Design are 8.7% lower than costs at Vassar College ($15,234 vs. $16,560)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Vassar College than Rhode Island School of Design (57% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Vassar College students is 33.9% larger than aid received Rhode Island School of Design ($50,193 vs. $37,480)

Vassar vs. RISD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Vassar College (1405) is 132 points higher than at RISD (1273)
  • Incoming Vassar students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at RISD (29)
  • Accepted freshman Vassar students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at RISD (3.71)
  • Vassar has a higher acceptance rate (18.7%) than RISD (17.4%)

Vassar vs. RISD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Vassar 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 Vassar.

  • The graduation rate at Vassar is higher than Rhode Island School of Design (91% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Vassar College earn on average $7,300 more per year than RISD graduates after ten years. ($58,400 vs. $51,100)
  • Vassar College students graduate with a $11,220 lower median federal student loan debt than RISD graduates. ($15,780 vs. $27,000)
  • Vassar graduates are paying $116 less per month on federal student loans than RISD graduates. ($163 vs. $279)
  • More Vassar graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RISD students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 89%)

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