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Rhode Island School of Design is a private, nonprofit college founded in Providence, RI in 1877—making it one of the first art and design schools in the US. Approximately 2,480 students from around the world are engaged in liberal arts studies and rigorous, studio-based learning at RISD (pronounced “RIZ-dee”), where they choose from 19 studio majors and earn bachelor’s or master’s degrees in the fine arts, architecture, design or art education. Each year more than 5,800 children and adults also access our specialized studio facilities through RISD|CE courses.

Student body

2,468
total enrollment
1,994
undergraduate students (fall 2018)
474
graduate students (fall 2018)
31%
students of color
33%
international (from 56 countries)

Faculty

182
full-time
467
part-time
9:1
student/faculty ratio

Average class size

14
undergraduate
6
graduate

Average SAT scores

648
math
650
critical reading

Acceptance rates

20%
first-year
31%
transfer
30%
graduate

Retention rate

95%
first year to sophomore

Graduation rate

89%
graduating students

Alumni

26,936
total alumni

Financial information

$48,470
2017/18 tuition and fees
$329.6 m
fiscal year 2017 endowment
$142.8 m
2017/18 annual operating budget

Undergraduate + graduate degrees offered

Accreditation

New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE, formerly NEASC)

National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)

Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB) | American Society of Landscape Architects

National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB)

Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (RIDE)