What Does it Cost to Attend Rhode Island School of Design?

Students from around the world flock to Providence, Rhode Island, to study at the Rhode Island School of Design. One of the most prestigious art schools in the country, RISD is a top choice for emerging graphic designers, painters, sculptors, and other artists.

Still, some families may balk at the high list price at RISD. While this price may seem steep, it’s important to keep in mind that the cost of attendance can vary greatly depending on family income and other factors. Many students receive a combination of institutional financial aid, government aid, and merit scholarships to help offset the cost of attending RISD.

What is the list price at RISD?

Including tuition plus room and board, the list price for RISD is $66,160. In general, it is mostly high-income families earning more than $175,000 combined per year who pay the list price.

What is the price of RISD with financial aid?

For students who receive financial aid only (no merit scholarships), the average net cost of attendance is $60,438. The price will be significantly different depending on your family’s income:

What is the net price with merit aid at RISD?

RISD awards scholarships based only on financial need. That means students who do not have financial need will not receive scholarships and have an average net price that is identical to the list price of $66,160.

RISD ranks 944 among over 1,000 schools CollegeVine studied for merit aid generosity.

How many students take out loans at RISD?

At RISD, 49 percent of students take out loans to help finance their education. The average amount of federal student loans is $5,315 total per undergraduate across their college careers.

What are student outcomes for RISD?

Eighty-eight percent of RISD students graduate with six years. After 10 years, they earn an average salary of $51,100.

Local area cost considerations in Providence

The cost of living index in Providence is 112.8. This means that it is 12.8 percent more expensive to live in the city than the national average.

First- and second-year RISD students are required to live on-campus. Upperclassmen seeking off-campus housing face an average rent of $1,670 and $2,514 for one- and two-bedroom apartments respectively in Providence.

In Rhode Island, the minimum wage is $10.50. Average hourly salaries in Providence are highly variable according to skills, experience, education, type of work, and other factors.

Other ways to save on college

Looking for other ways to save in college? Many students work part-time jobs on campus, or in businesses and organizations around Providence. Not only can jobs help your student earn income, but they will also learn important skills to apply to their future career. Students can visit RISD’s Student Employment office to find jobs on- and off-campus.

Students also look for outside scholarships to help assist with the cost of college. While RISD does not award merit-based scholarships, many other organizations do. Students can find and apply for scholarships geared toward specific demographics, intended majors, talents, and other qualities. One popular merit scholarship is the National Merit Scholarship, where top PSAT scorers can receive monetary awards of around $2,500.

To learn more about financial aid at RISD, as well as paying for college in general, check out the official school website.

Curious about your chances of acceptance to RISD? Our free chancing engine takes into account your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data to predict your odds of acceptance at over 500 colleges across the U.S. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to get started!