Rhode Island School of Design
Providence, RI 02903-2784
About Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design is a selective private research university in Providence, Rhode Island, enrolling about 2,084 students. Admission is selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 18.66% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $68,140 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Rhode Island School of Design charges about 2.1× the national private non-profit median tuition ($62,688).
- Versus the Rhode Island median, sticker tuition is 57% above.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 88.77%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $68,140.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Rhode Island School of Design is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 237% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island School of Design | $62,688 | $50,507 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| Rhode Island (state median) | $39,847 | — | 14 |
| Suburban (locale median) | $13,135 | $18,048 | 684 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 19% below published tuition at Rhode Island School of Design
Key findings
- Rhode Island School of Design's average net price ($50,507) is 19% below published tuition ($62,688).
- Rhode Island School of Design charges about 2.1× the national private non-profit median tuition ($62,688).
- Versus the Rhode Island median, sticker tuition is 57% above.
Rhode Island School of Design tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $62,688
Finding Rhode Island School of Design charges about 2.1× the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $62,688. That is about 2.1× the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the Rhode Island median ($39,847), sticker tuition is 57% above. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 5.3×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Rhode Island School of Design versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Rhode Island School of Design versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Rhode Island School of Design is $50,507.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $50,507 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). Versus suburban campuses, net price runs $32,459 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Rhode Island School of Design’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 19% lower after grants and scholarships.
Rhode Island School of Design: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Rhode Island School of Design—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$62,688
Avg. net price
$50,507
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $29,135 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $30,233 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $25,872 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $33,893 |
| $110,001+ | $64,493 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $250,752. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Rhode Island School of Design is known for
Top program completions
- Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology129
- 05.0041116
- Systems Science and Theory102
- Computer Graphics75
- Painting51
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Highly selective — fewer than 3 in 10 applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 51% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1473
- Midpoint ACT: 31
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Rhode Island School of Design a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Rhode Island School of Design is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Rhode Island School of Design.
Campus
Location
Providence, RI
City / state
- ZIP
- 02903-2784
- NCES locale
- Suburb
Compared with Suburban campuses nationally, net price is about 2.8× the median for Suburban campuses ($18,048 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- New England
- Carnegie
- Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs
Size
Enrollment
2,084
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 2,138
- Graduate
- 433
- Full-time share
- 100%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$27,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 14.82%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Rhode Island School of Design.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Rhode Island School of Design was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Rhode Island School of Design in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $42,932 | $42,932 | $40,306 |
| 2014 | $44,594 | $44,594 | $40,552 |
| 2015 | $45,840 | $45,840 | $43,582 |
| 2016 | $47,110 | $47,110 | $43,457 |
| 2017 | $48,370 | $48,370 | $46,277 |
| 2018 | $50,960 | $50,960 | $42,484 |
| 2019 | $52,860 | $52,860 | $43,982 |
| 2020 | $54,890 | $54,890 | $44,979 |
| 2021 | $56,290 | $56,290 | $44,371 |
| 2022 | $57,505 | $57,505 | $45,638 |
| 2023 | $59,760 | $59,760 | $46,253 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution is highly selective, accepting fewer than 3 in 10 applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1473 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 31 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.85
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Rhode Island School of Design reported total enrollment of about 2,084 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 29% male and 71% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Non-Resident Alien (33.1%), Asian (25.8%), and White (21.2%). About 14.82% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 10.6% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
100.0% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Rhode Island School of Design in 2024 is 2,084 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 2,138 students. Graduate enrollment is about 433 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
95.0%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
48.73% 100% Completion Time
88.77% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 48.73% of students graduating from Rhode Island School of Design completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology: 40% male / 60% female
- 05.0041: 22% male / 78% female
- Systems Science and Theory: 40% male / 60% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Rhode Island School of Design graduates earn a median of $68,140 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Rhode Island School of Design.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $68,140. Median federal loan debt: $27,000. Average net price used in cost models: $50,507.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Rhode Island School of Design graduates report median earnings of $68,140 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Rhode Island School of Design.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (20 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Rhode Island School of Design.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Rhode Island School of Design graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Rhode Island School of Design—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$398.6M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Rhode Island median 1.7× the median ($239.1M)
- New England median 9.3× the median ($42.9M)
- U.S. median 15× the median ($26.4M)
- Rhode Island median 2.9× the median ($50,168)
- New England median 6.3× the median ($23,268)
- U.S. median 12× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 38.9%
- Rhode Island median 53.5 pp below median (92.4%)
- New England median 14.3 pp below median (53.3%)
- U.S. median 19.0 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $11,226
- Rhode Island median near the median ($11,226)
- New England median 1.2× the median ($9,262)
- U.S. median 1.5× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $21,446
- Rhode Island median 2.0× the median ($10,675)
- New England median 2.1× the median ($10,182)
- U.S. median 2.9× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Rhode Island School of Design at a glance
Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design is a private non-profit institution in Providence, RI, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology05.0041Systems Science and Theory
- Largest enrollment groups
- Non-Resident Alien33.1%Asian25.8%White or Caucasian21.2%
Schools near Rhode Island School of Design
Other campuses in Providence, RI when available, plus nearby institutions in Rhode Island.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade A) within Rhode Island, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Rhode Island School of Design located?
Rhode Island School of Design is located in Providence, RI.
What is Rhode Island School of Design's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Rhode Island School of Design is 18.7% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 7,126 applicants and 984 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Rhode Island School of Design's tuition?
Rhode Island School of Design tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $62,688 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $50,507 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Rhode Island School of Design cost?
Reported tuition is $62,688 and average net price is $50,507 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $16,626 annually.
Why is Rhode Island School of Design's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Rhode Island School of Design, published tuition is $62,688 while average net price is $50,507—about 19% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Rhode Island School of Design's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($50,507), completion (88.8% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($68,140). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Rhode Island School of Design?
Rhode Island School of Design reports undergraduate enrollment of about 2,138 students, Non-Resident Alien (33.1%), Asian (25.8%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Rhode Island School of Design?
About 10.6% of students at Rhode Island School of Design are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Rhode Island School of Design?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Rhode Island School of Design reports midpoint SAT about 1473 and midpoint ACT about 31.
What do graduates of Rhode Island School of Design earn?
Median earnings are $45,932 six years after entry and $68,140 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Rhode Island School of Design?
The 150%-time completion rate is 88.8% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Rhode Island School of Design students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $27,000.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.