Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Rhode Island School of Design Featured Rankings
About Rhode Island School of Design
According to Wikipedia, The Rhode Island School of Design is a private art and design school in Providence, Rhode Island. The school was founded as a coeducational institution in 1877 by Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf, who sought to increase the accessibility of design education to women. Today, RISD offers bachelor's and master's degree programs across 19 majors and enrolls approximately 2,000 undergraduate and 500 graduate students. The Rhode Island School of Design Museum—which houses the school's art and design collections—is one of the largest college art museums in the United States.
Rhode Island School of Design Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7,126 | 19% | 95% | 92% | 1463 | 32 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Rhode Island School of Design Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $65,136 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $29,175 |
| 30K - 48K | $34,985 |
| 48K - 75K | $42,134 |
| 75K - 110K | $44,079 |
| 110K+ | $72,156 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Rhode Island School of Design Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Rhode Island School of Design students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $69,341 a year, and 87% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Rhode Island School of Design's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 2,593 | 2,127 | 466 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Rhode Island School of Design?
Rhode Island School of Design is located at 20 Washington Place, Providence, RI 02903-2784.
How Safe is Rhode Island School of Design?
Relative to its enrollment, Rhode Island School of Design has a violent crime rate of 0.32% and a property crime rate of 0.36%. Providence has a violent crime rate of 0.28% and a property crime rate of 1.67%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Rhode Island School of Design Known For?
Rhode Island School of Design is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
Rhode Island School of Design's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Rhode Island School of Design's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Rhode Island School of Design ranks #109 in the U.S. and #447 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesRhode Island School of Design ranks #127 in the U.S. and #425 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesRhode Island School of Design ranks #176 in the U.S. and #653 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesRhode Island School of Design ranks #187 in the U.S. and #725 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesRhode Island School of Design ranks #239 in the U.S. and #775 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesRhode Island School of Design ranks #288 in the U.S. and #1021 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesWho Are Rhode Island School of Design's Most Influential Alumni?
Rhode Island School of Design's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Communications, Engineering, and Literature. Here are some of Rhode Island School of Design's most famous alumni:
- Shepard Fairey
- An American contemporary street artist, graphic designer activist and illustrator.
- Jenny Holzer
- An American conceptual artist.
- Dale Chihuly
- An American glass sculptor.
- David Byrne
- A Scottish-American musician.
- Chris Van Allsburg
- A US children's writer and illustrator.
- David Mazzucchelli
- An Artist.
- David Hanson
- An American robotics designer and researcher.
- James Franco
- An American actor.
- David Macaulay
- A British-born American illustrator and writer.
- Roz Chast
- A Cartoonist.
- Kenneth Goldsmith
- An American poet and visual artist.
- Salima Hashmi
- A Pakistani artist, cultural writer, painter and an anti-nuclear weapon activist.
Who Are Rhode Island School of Design's Most Influential Faculty?
Rhode Island School of Design's most influential faculty include professors in the fields of Communications, Engineering, and Literature. Here are some of Rhode Island School of Design's most famous faculty:
- Kelly Murphy
- An American writer and illustrator.
- Jennifer Packer
- An American artist.
- Antoine Revoy
- A French author and illustrator.
- Joshua Citarella
- An American visual artist, b. 1987.
- Kim Beck
- An American artist.
- Crystal Williams
- A University president, educator, and poet.
- Jennifer Militello
- An American poet.
- Julia Bryan-Wilson
- An American academic.
- Lauren Fensterstock
- An American artist, writer, curator, critic.
- Matt Kenyon
- A New media artist.
- Lauren Kalman
- An American visual artist, art teacher.
- Daniel Sousa
- A Director.
