Rhode Island School of Design
Providence, RI · Private
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See the full analysis — freeAdmission rate
Rhode Island School of Design admitted 18.7% of applicants university-wide (1,249 of 6,692).
| Cohort | Admit rate | Admitted | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| University-wide | 18.7% | 1,249 | 6,692 |
| In-state | 40.0% | 80 | 200 |
| Out-of-state | 20.0% | 540 | 2,700 |
| International applicants | 30.0% | 180 | 600 |
| Men | 20.4% | 287 | 1,406 |
| Women | 18.2% | 962 | 5,279 |
Of 1,249 admitted students, 518 enrolled (41.5% yield).
Rhode Island School of Design U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C1–C2 · 2023 — Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.
Test scores and GPA of admitted students
- SAT (mid-50%)
- 1396–1530
- ACT (mid-50%)
- 31–34
- GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
- 3.00–3.99
Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)
Rhode Island School of Design U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C9–C12 · 2023 — Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.
Cost and financial aid
Published cost of attendance: $85,314/yr.
| Out-of-state tuition | $62,688 |
| Fees, housing, food, books & other | $22,626 |
| Sticker cost of attendance | $85,314/yr |
Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)
| Under $30k | $29,135 |
| $30k–48k | $30,233 |
| $48k–75k | $25,872 |
| $75k–110k | $33,893 |
| Over $110k | $64,493 |
US applicants
Need- and merit-based aid available.
- Portfolio Scholarship — Up to $25,000 per year (Merit)
- Presidential Scholarship — Full tuition (Full Tuition)
- RISD Grant — Varies (Need Based)
- RISD Scholarship — Varies (up to full tuition) (Full Tuition)
International applicants
Some aid available for internationals.
- Portfolio Scholarship — Up to $25,000 per year (Merit)
- Presidential Scholarship — Full tuition (Full Tuition)
- RISD Scholarship — Varies (up to full tuition) (Full Tuition)
Rhode Island School of Design U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections G–H · 2023
Application requirements
US applicants
- Common Application
- Portfolio via SlideRoom
- Academic Transcripts
- College Essay (Common Application personal essay)
- Letter(s) of Recommendation
- SAT or ACT Scores (optional)
- English Language Proficiency Test (TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo)
- Application fee
International applicants
- Common Application
- Portfolio via SlideRoom
- Academic Transcripts
- College Essay (Common Application personal essay)
- Letter(s) of Recommendation
- SAT or ACT Scores (optional)
- English Language Proficiency Test (TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo)
- Application fee
- GPA credential conversion
- Predicted Class XII marksheet
- Financial documentation (I-20)
Rhode Island School of Design · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025
Essay prompts
Rhode Island School of Design requires no supplemental essays.
Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 4, 2026
Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings
- $68,140
- Median earnings · 10 years after entry
- Graduation rate
- 88.8%
- Within 150% of normal time
- First-year retention
- 95%
- Return for year two · CDS Section B
- Median debt
- $27,000
- At graduation
Rhode Island School of Design · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023 — Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.
Published rankings
- Forbes: #229
- Niche: #164
Academics and campus
Largest degree fields: Visual & performing arts (63%), Interdisciplinary studies (13%), Computer & information sciences (8%).
Student–faculty ratio: 9:1 · 79% of class sections have under 20 students.
Rhode Island School of Design U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections E, F, I · 2023 — Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.