Providence, Rhode Island · Private Non-Profit
Systems Science and Theory at Rhode Island School of Design
Use this school-and-field page as a fit screen, not a department ranking. It combines the 13.5% reported program-share signal, $50,507 school-wide net price, and $68,140 school-wide ten-year earnings before you compare peer schools. The enrollment proxy is about 281 students when that share is applied to current enrollment.
Program snapshot
13.5% reported share makes this a large program signal in federal data.
This major
- Program signal
- 13.5%
- Enrollment proxy
- ~281
- Schools with reported signal
- 43
Admissions
- Acceptance rate (school)
- 18.7%
- Graduation rate
- 88.8%
Cost
- Avg net price (school)
- $50,507/yr
- 4-year cost (est.)
- $202,028
- Median debt
- $27,000
Outcomes
- Median earnings 10y
- $68,140/yr
- ROI grade (school)
- D
College Scorecard reports school-wide earnings and price, not per-major outcomes for individual colleges. Program share is a concentration signal, not a promise of department quality. Use it as a proxy, then verify department-level outcomes with the school.
Evidence used here: federal program-share data (13.5%), school-wide average net price ($50,507), school-wide ten-year median earnings ($68,140), and peer averages from 43 schools reporting a positive signal in this field. Evidence not included: department-level salary, placement rate, course quality, licensure eligibility, certification, or exam pass-rate outcomes.
Value among peer schools
Compared with 43 schools that report this field.
The answer is a value-screen grade of D, not a verified department verdict. The reported share is 13.4x the national average concentration; the school-wide net price is higher than the peer average ($26,850 above), and ten-year median earnings are lower than the peer average ($2,147 below). Together, those evidence points place Rhode Island School of Design in the top 88% ROI position within this field set.
See the national program hub →Comparable programs
Peer schools below also report a positive program-share signal and are sorted by value grade.
Stanford University Stanford, CA · 0.1% reported share · $13,807 net A+ 
Rice University Houston, TX · 0.7% reported share · $13,370 net A+ 
Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL · 0.0% reported share · $8,752 net A 
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI · 0.0% reported share · $13,138 net A University of Chicago Chicago, IL · 0.0% reported share · $14,860 net A 
Marshall University Huntington, WV · 0.5% reported share · $7,502 net A Portland State University Portland, OR · 0.1% reported share · $9,552 net A University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA · 0.0% reported share · $14,251 net A Questions about this program
How big is the program signal?
Systems Science and Theory accounts for 13.5% of reported programs at Rhode Island School of Design, which is bigger than 98% of schools in this field set and 13.4x the national average concentration. The enrollment proxy is about 281 students when that share is applied to current enrollment.
How should I read the cost number?
Rhode Island School of Design's average net price is $50,507 per year, about $202,028 over four years. That is $26,850 above the $23,657 peer average, before your own aid package changes the final bill.
Are the earnings major-specific?
No. The $68,140 median earnings figure is school-wide ten years after entry. It is $2,147 below the $70,287 average among schools reporting this field, so treat it as an outcomes proxy rather than a department guarantee.
What should I compare next?
Start with program share, net price after aid, graduation rate, location, and whether the department publishes placement or licensure outcomes. EduGradify ranks Rhode Island School of Design #38 of 43 schools in this field set by school-wide ROI proxy.