Rhode Island School of Design
#7 Best Master's Programs in Rhode Island- Graduation Rate
- 89% A
- Most students who enroll finish their degree here
- Earnings (10yr)
- $68,140 A
- Top 8% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $50,507 F
- 195% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 19% A
- Admits roughly 19% — highly selective
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 12.1× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $12.1 over 20 years. Ranked #7 in Best Master's Programs in Rhode Island.
Every $1 spent returns $12.1 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $2,233,630.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduates earn 67% more than the national college median.
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A 89% graduation rate — 55% above the national average.
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Inventor rate in the top 12% nationally — patents, startups, and new technology flow from its graduates.
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Every $1 invested returns $12.1 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 2.0%
- Top 12%
- Patents
- 154
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 309
- Downstream influence
Why Rhode Island School of Design Matters
Rhode Island School of Design is a private university in Providence, RI and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by selective admissions, an unusually high rate of inventors and patents, and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 8% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private University
- Carnegie Class
- Master's University
- Enrollment
- 2,084
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Visual & Performing Arts, Computer Science & IT, Precision Production
Why students choose Rhode Island School of Design
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Highly selective — admits about 19% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1396–1530. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $50,507 a year after grants and scholarships — 195% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $68,140 ten years after enrolling — 67% above the typical college, against $27,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.3% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 57% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.86 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an acceptance rate of just 19%, Rhode Island School of Design attracts students who are passionate about the arts and design, as well as those looking to carve out a niche in technology through programs like Computer Science & IT. This school fits individuals who want to immerse themselves in creative disciplines, particularly in Visual & Performing Arts and Precision Production. The small student body of around 2,084 allows for a tight-knit community where collaboration and creativity can thrive.
After graduation, students from RISD find themselves on solid financial footing, with a 10-year earnings average of $68,140. This figure demonstrates that a degree from this institution can lead to meaningful career opportunities. While the cost of attendance is significant, the outcomes suggest that many graduates successfully navigate the job market and secure positions that allow them to move up in their fields.
When considering the practicalities, the net price sits at $50,507, and the median debt is $27,000, which can feel daunting. However, it’s worth noting that only 15% of students receive Pell Grants, indicating a relatively lower reliance on federal aid among the student body. Those who tend to thrive here are often self-motivated and passionate about their chosen fields, ready to take advantage of the rich resources and connections that RISD has to offer.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Rhode Island School of Design is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Rhode Island School of Design? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Rhode Island School of Design, located in Providence, Rhode Island, sets a competitive bar: about 19% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,473. The graduation rate is roughly 89%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 19%
- Retention Rate
- 95%
- SAT Average
- 1473
- ACT Midpoint
- 31
- SAT Range
- 1396–1530
- ACT Range
- 31–34
- Full-Time Faculty
- 39%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $11,226
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 9:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.77
- First-Gen Students
- 11%
- Applicants
- 5,099
- Admitted
- 888
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Rhode Island School of Design? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Rhode Island School of Design is $62,688, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $50,507. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $29,135 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $62,688
- Out-of-State
- $62,688
- Avg Net Price
- $50,507
- Median Debt
- $27,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 15%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 29%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $29,135
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $30,233
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $25,872
- Family Income $110K+
- $64,493
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Rhode Island School of Design Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Rhode Island School of Design earn a median of $68,140, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $45,932
- 8 Years
- $58,975
- 10 Years
- $68,140
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.4x
- Earning > $25K
- 66%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (329)
- 71%
- 100% (329)
- 71%
- 100% (329)
- 71%
- 100% (329)
- 71%
How Rhode Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Rhode Island School of Design Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Rhode Island School of Design delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $50,507/year ($202,028 total). Graduates earn $68,140 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,435,658 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,233,630 (12.1× your investment). The median debt is $27,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 89% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $202,028
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $2,435,658
- Net Return
- $2,233,630
- ROI Multiple
- 12.1×
- Cost Per Year
- $50,507
- Median Debt
- $27,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 89%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Rhode Island School of Design Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Rhode Island School of Design is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.34%, well above the typical college. About 4.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 32.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $142,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.34%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 32.6%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 4.1%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $142,800
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Rhode Island School of Design produces inventors at an above-average rate (top 12% nationally), with 154 patents tied to its graduates.
- Inventor Rate
- 2.04%
- Top 12% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 154
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 309
- Downstream influence
- Inventors From Low-Income
- 5.17%
- Bottom-20% families
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $5,776,335
- Investment Income
- $-53,094,359
Top Programs
The fields Rhode Island School of Design awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Rhode Island School of Design's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Software Developer$132,270 · 25% growthVulnerable 40
- C+Blockchain Developer$130,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-DevOps Engineer$128,000 · 22% growthAdaptable 52
- CProduct Manager$125,000 · 8% growthAdaptable 52
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Rhode Island School of Design? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Rhode Island School of Design, located in Providence, Rhode Island, sets a competitive bar: about 19% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,473. The graduation rate is roughly 89%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Rhode Island School of Design? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Rhode Island School of Design is $62,688, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $50,507. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $29,135 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.
Is Rhode Island School of Design Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Rhode Island School of Design earn a median of $68,140, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Rhode Island School of Design Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Rhode Island School of Design is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.34%, well above the typical college. About 4.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 32.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $142,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Rhode Island School of Design? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Rhode Island School of Design. Its economic connectedness score is 1.86, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Rhode Island School of Design.
- Colorado CollegeColorado Springs, CO · Close peer87% grad $65,222 earn 18% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Vassar CollegePoughkeepsie, NY · Close peer90% grad $71,366 earn 19% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Macalester CollegeSaint Paul, MN · Close peer89% grad $63,878 earn 29% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Denison UniversityGranville, OH · Close peer79% grad $67,753 earn 17% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Carleton CollegeNorthfield, MN · Close peer90% grad $75,525 earn 20% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Bates CollegeLewiston, ME · Close peer90% grad $69,498 earn 13% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Rhode Island School of Design? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Rhode Island School of Design. Its economic connectedness score is 1.86, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note