A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at RISD are predominantly White with a small Foreign Resident population. The school has very high racial diversity. 69% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.
| Race | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| White |
31%
|
| Black |
2%
|
| Hispanic |
8%
|
| Asian |
19%
|
| American Indian / Alaskan |
0%
|
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islander |
0%
|
| Two or more races |
4%
|
| International |
26%
|
| Race Unknown |
8%
|
There are 106% more female students than male students enrolled at Rhode Island School of Design with a gender ratio of 67% women to 33% men. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, RISD has a lower gender diversity than other US colleges and is less inclusive of males.
| Gender | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
33%
|
| Women |
67%
|
| Gender | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
857
|
| Women |
1,763
|
RISD serves a high number of out-of-state students with 98% of the student body residing outside of Rhode Island or from other countries.
| Origin | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| In State |
1%
|
| Out of State |
58%
|
| Foreign |
40%
|
| Unknown Location |
0%
|
13% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.
| Segment | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Students Over 25 Years Old | 2.3% |
| Part time Undergrads | 0% |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=217493 IPEDS survey data for Rhode Island School of Design.