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Providence, RI · Art & design

Art & design at RISD

RISD graduates about 213 art & design majors a year, 42% of its graduating class. That puts it 20th of 828 schools we score for art & design, a standout program at 92 out of 100. Graduates in the major earn a median $59,000 four years out, 1.31× what the same major pays nationally.

92/100Standout#20 of 828 for art & design →
Graduates a year21342% of the class
Median pay 4 years out$59,0001.31× the same major nationally
Research in the field$313Ka year, NSF
Admit rate17%whole school
SAT middle 50%1340–1525whole school

Around RISD

List Art Center, Brown University. Philip Johnson, 1971.
List Art Center, Brown UniversityPhoto: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Scott McCloud at the Rhode Island School of Design, as part of his 50-state "Mak
Scott McCloud.Making Comics Tour.RISD.gkPhoto: Grendelkhan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
RISD Museum of Art Chace Center entrance on South Main Street.
RISD Museum of Art Chace Center entrancePhoto: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Police cars of the Rhode Island School of Design Police Department
RISD police cars October 2025Photo: 4300streetcar · CC BY 4.0 · source

Where art & design happens

Buildings on campus that fit the field: List Art Building, What Cheer Garage & Studios, Canal Street Studios, Angell Street Studios, Industrial Design Building, Lindemann Performing Arts Center, Perry and Marty Granoff Center for the Creative Arts, Morrison-Gerard Chamber Music Studios.

Named buildings on the campus map: Academic 67 · Dorm 41 · Offices 13 · Dining 5 · Athletics 5 · Library 4.

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Nearby in the art & design ranking

  1. Boston University 93
  2. Dartmouth College 92
  3. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 92
  4. University of California, Los Angeles 92
  5. Virginia Tech 92
  6. Brown University 91
  7. Drexel University 91
  8. Washington University in St. Louis 91

Other strong majors at RISD

How the score works

The score is out of 100 and compares RISD with every school we score in art & design. It weighs what graduates earn four years out against the same major nationally (25%), research spending in the field (20%, NSF), how many undergraduate courses the department lists (20%), the student body's test scores (20%) and the size of the program (15%, capped so size alone can't win). 80+ is a standout program, 65+ strong, 45+ solid. Sources: US Department of Education (College Scorecard, IPEDS), NSF HERD, each school's current course catalog, OpenStreetMap and Wikimedia Commons.

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