Rhode Island School of Design vs Bates College

Rhode Island School of Design and Bates College are both well-regarded institutions, but they differ in important ways. Here's how they compare across key dimensions.

Admissions: Bates College is more selective with a 13.0% acceptance rate compared to Rhode Island School of Design's 13.8%. Average SAT scores are 1480 and 1446 respectively.

Cost: Bates College offers a lower average net price at $30,703, which is $15,550 less than Rhode Island School of Design ($46,253). After financial aid, this can make a significant difference over 4 years.

Career Outcomes: Graduates from Bates College earn a median salary of $69,498 ten years after enrollment, which is $1,358 more than Rhode Island School of Design graduates ($68,140).

Graduation: Bates College leads with a 91.6% graduation rate, and freshman retention rates are 92.9% vs 94.0%.

Campus Size: Rhode Island School of Design is the larger campus with 2,090 total students, while Bates College has 1,753.

Bottom Line: Bates College stands out as both more affordable and producing higher-earning graduates — making it the stronger value proposition overall.