Ringling College of Art and Design is a private nonprofit institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Sarasota, Florida. It enrolls 1,662 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
57/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes79
Value1
Affordability10
Selectivity62
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 69.7%, Ringling College of Art and Design is moderately selective.
Acceptance Rate
69.7%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Ringling College of Art and Design is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↑
3.5 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Ringling College of Art and Design isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $57,742 per year. That's above the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$57,742
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
21%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
38%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$57,900
Room & Board (on-campus)
$19,100
Room & Board (off-campus)
$15,468
Books & Supplies
$2,700
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$5,174
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,510
Total Cost of Attendance
$80,276
Application fee: $70 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$47,261
$30,001 – $48,000
$48,213
$48,001 – $75,000
$55,121
$75,001 – $110,000
$59,265
Over $110,000
$62,609
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$5,50010%percentile
$12,00025%percentile
$27,000Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$35,50090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $27,000
—
No Pell $26,198
↓ $802
Dependent students $27,000
—
Independent students $32,500
↑ $5,500
Female students $27,000
—
Male students $27,000
—
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,500, less than completers ($27,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
67% of full-time students who enrolled at Ringling College of Art and Design graduate within six years, and 85% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
67%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
85%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
High first-year retention. Students who arrive tend to stay.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Ringling College of Art and Design earn a median of $43,325 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$43,325
Earning > $25K
63%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$36,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$48,300
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$36,900
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$46,800
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$44,200
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $11,600, about 24% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
8.8 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 76% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Ringling College of Art and Design is home to 1,662 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
1,662
Part-Time
2%
First-Generation
17%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 42.5%706
International 20.5%340
Hispanic 16.6%276
Asian 9.5%157
Other 4.5%75
Black 3.9%64
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Ringling College of Art and Design. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CitySarasota, Florida
Housing
Strongly residential1,280 beds for 1,662 students
Adult Learners
4%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Ringling College of Art and Design offers
a focused set of programs:
7 distinct programs across
3 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Ringling College of Art and Design is 11:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
11:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$228M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$85,629
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
128 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
No Rank
128
100%
$85,629
Pros & Cons of Ringling College of Art and Design
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Ringling College of Art and Design tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Above-average graduation rate
Strong first-year retention
CONS
High net price compared to most US colleges
Very high published cost of attendance (full-pay families pay much more than the net-price average)
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Narrow program catalog compared to mid-sized peers
Frequently Asked Questions about Ringling College of Art and Design
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Ringling College of Art and Design.
Is Ringling College of Art and Design hard to get into?
Admissions at Ringling College of Art and Design are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 69.7%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Ringling College of Art and Design?
Ringling College of Art and Design has an acceptance rate of 69.7%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Ringling College of Art and Design cost?
The average net price after aid at Ringling College of Art and Design is $57,742 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Ringling College of Art and Design worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $43,325 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $57,742 per year. That's roughly 0.8x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Ringling College of Art and Design known for?
Ringling College of Art and Design is best known for its programs in Graphic Communications, Design, Fine Arts. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Ringling College of Art and Design graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Ringling College of Art and Design are $43,325, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Ringling College of Art and Design accredited?
Yes. Ringling College of Art and Design is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Ringling College of Art and Design?
Ringling College of Art and Design enrolls 1,662 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Ringling College of Art and Design?
Ringling College of Art and Design graduates 67% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Ringling College of Art and Design a public or private college?
Ringling College of Art and Design is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Ringling College of Art and Design located?
Ringling College of Art and Design is located in Sarasota, Florida.
What programs does Ringling College of Art and Design offer?
Ringling College of Art and Design offers 7 distinct programs. The most popular include Graphic Communications, Design, Fine Arts.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Ringling College of Art and Design?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Ringling College of Art and Design is 11:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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