Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) vs Design Institute of San Diego

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and Design Institute of San Diego (DSI) stand out as premier institutions for aspiring creatives, each offering unique educational experiences. RISD, with its rich history and Ivy League-like reputation, boasts a highly selective admissions process, accepting only 33% of applicants. DSI, on the other hand, offers a more accessible route, admitting 80% of those who apply. While RISD's student body is predominantly female (67%), DSI's gender distribution is more balanced, with 53% female and 47% male students. Both schools excel in preparing students for successful careers in the creative industries, with RISD boasting a 92% graduation rate and DSI achieving a 75% rate. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details, including popular majors, tuition fees, and financial aid opportunities, to determine which institution best aligns with your aspirations and goals.

	Design Institute of San Diego	Rhode Island School of Design
Overview
Location	San Diego, California	Providence, Rhode Island
Campus setting	City: Large	City: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (For Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	50.0%	95.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	100.0%	18.7%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $25 Graduate: $25	Undergraduate: $60 Graduate: $60
SAT range	N/A	1310 - 1480
ACT range	N/A	28 - 34
Students submitting SAT score		31.0%
Students submitting ACT score		7.0%
Total number of applicants	4	4,742
Total number of admissions given out	4	886
Admitted students who chose to enroll	4	496
Yield rate	100.0%	56.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$48,752	$77,280
Average net price	$34,113	$38,234
Tuition	$25,500	$55,220
Room & board		$14,790
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $5,309	37.0% Average amount $37,286
Students receiving federal student loan	100.0% Average amount $6,804	36.0% Average amount $5,296
Students taking out private loans	0.0% Average amount $0	4.0% Average amount $39,311

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	119 Men 10.9% Women 89.1%	2,044 Men 33.5% Women 66.5%
Graduate students	8 Men 0.0% Women 100.0%	532 Men 34.2% Women 65.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	25.0%	N/A
International students	3.9%	35.6%
Campus local/setting	City: Large	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	N/A	1,450
First year students are required to live on campus?	N/A	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	California Kansas	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Visual & Performing Arts	Visual & Performing Arts Multidisciplinary Studies Architecture Computer and Information Science Precision Production
Students to faculty ratio	9:1	9:1
Institutional accreditation	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission	New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	50.0%	86.2%
Dropout rate	50.0%	11.9%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $35,661 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A	Design and Applied Arts (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $55,121 Year 2: $68,219 Year 3: $70,583 Architecture (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $56,475 Year 2: $48,198 Year 3: $58,141 Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,129 Year 2: $36,166 Year 3: $46,057 Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $19,604 Year 2: $22,192 Year 3: $35,453 Woodworking (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $22,714 Year 2: $30,228 Year 3: $27,613 Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $30,365 Year 2: $28,055 Year 3: $27,580 Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $20,934 Year 2: $22,627 Year 3: $27,562 Architecture (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,281 Year 2: $50,439 Year 3: N/A Interior Architecture (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $54,035 Year 3: N/A Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $35,493 Year 2: $35,060 Year 3: N/A

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