Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) vs Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) stand as two prominent institutions of higher education, each offering a distinct academic experience. RISD, renowned for its focus on art and design, boasts an acceptance rate of 38%, while MIT, known for its strength in science and technology, has a highly selective acceptance rate of just 7%. In terms of student demographics, RISD's student body is predominantly female (63%), while MIT's is predominantly male (63%). Both institutions offer a diverse range of majors, with RISD excelling in Fine Arts, Illustration, and Photography, and MIT excelling in Computer Science, Engineering, and Physics. When it comes to graduation rates, RISD boasts a commendable 88% graduation rate, while MIT's impressive 94% graduation rate speaks to its commitment to student success. To help you make an informed decision about your educational journey, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison
Massachusetts Institute of Technology logo

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Rhode Island School of Design logo

Rhode Island School of Design

Overview

Location Cambridge, Massachusetts Providence, Rhode Island
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system 4-1-4 4-1-4
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 99.0% 95.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 4.1% 18.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75

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 33,240 4,742
Total number of admissions given out 1,365 886
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,177 496
Yield rate 86.2% 56.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $58,920 $77,280
Average net price $30,958 $38,234
Tuition $55,510 $55,220
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $11,550

Meal plan: $6,550
$14,790
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $32,562
37.0%
Average amount $37,286
Students receiving federal student loan 6.0%
Average amount $5,112
36.0%
Average amount $5,296
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $17,891
4.0%
Average amount $39,311

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 4,638
Men 51.9% Women 48.1%
2,044
Men 33.5% Women 66.5%
Graduate students 7,296
Men 62.0% Women 38.0%
532
Men 34.2% Women 65.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 29.2% 35.6%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 6,280 1,450
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Texas New York Florida New Jersey N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Architecture
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Architecture
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Precision Production
Students to faculty ratio 3:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 96.2% 86.2%
Dropout rate 3.0% 11.9%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $144,716
  • Year 2: $150,045
  • Year 3: $183,153
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $170,089
  • Year 2: $165,236
  • Year 3: $182,183
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $118,191
  • Year 2: $127,993
  • Year 3: $163,496
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $82,796
  • Year 2: $117,572
  • Year 3: $155,540
Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $133,685
  • Year 2: $137,214
  • Year 3: $155,079
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $104,229
  • Year 2: $121,226
  • Year 3: $139,548
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $141,603
  • Year 2: $126,504
  • Year 3: $132,987
Mechanical Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $112,885
  • Year 3: $124,425
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $135,266
  • Year 2: $111,435
  • Year 3: $112,404
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $109,955
  • Year 2: $104,749
  • Year 3: $109,672
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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