Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) vs MICA College

When it comes to art and design education, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) stand out as two of the most prestigious institutions in the United States. Both schools offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, but there are some key differences between them. RISD has a lower acceptance rate and a smaller student body, while MICA has a higher graduation rate and a more diverse student body. Additionally, RISD is known for its strong fine arts programs, while MICA is known for its strong design programs. To help you make an informed decision about which school is the best fit for you, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that highlights the key differences between RISD and MICA.

	Maryland Institute College of Art	Rhode Island School of Design
Overview
Location	Baltimore, Maryland	Providence, Rhode Island
Campus setting	City: Large	City: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	86.0%	95.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	85.7%	18.7%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $75	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	3,066	4,742
Total number of admissions given out	2,629	886
Admitted students who chose to enroll	311	496
Yield rate	11.8%	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	$65,940	$77,280
Average net price	$28,569	$38,234
Tuition	$50,160	$55,220
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $11,200 Meal plan: $3,570	$14,790
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $27,261	37.0% Average amount $37,286
Students receiving federal student loan	42.0% Average amount $5,435	36.0% Average amount $5,296
Students taking out private loans	5.0% Average amount $18,522	4.0% Average amount $39,311

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,540 Men 24.4% Women 75.6%	2,044 Men 33.5% Women 66.5%
Graduate students	607 Men 27.8% Women 72.2%	532 Men 34.2% Women 65.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	67.6%	N/A
International students	20.7%	35.6%
Campus local/setting	City: Large	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	997	1,450
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Maryland New Jersey Virginia New York California	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Visual & Performing Arts Business Education Multidisciplinary Studies Architecture	Visual & Performing Arts Multidisciplinary Studies Architecture Computer and Information Science Precision Production
Students to faculty ratio	10:1	9:1
Institutional accreditation	Middle States Commission on Higher Education	New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	74.0%	86.2%
Dropout rate	25.3%	11.9%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Design and Applied Arts (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $43,714 Year 2: $67,240 Year 3: $78,199 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $50,514 Year 2: $50,782 Year 3: $52,113 Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,590 Year 2: $27,504 Year 3: $39,224 Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $34,442 Year 2: $21,964 Year 3: $33,773 Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $27,950 Year 2: $21,508 Year 3: $28,812 Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $19,904 Year 2: $19,786 Year 3: $24,942 Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $33,381 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $38,289 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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