Apparel and Textiles at Rhode Island School of Design

At $14,537 in first-year earnings, RISD's apparel program produces outcomes that should alarm any parent considering the investment. This falls short of even Rhode Island's already-modest state median of $23,849—and the program ranks in just the 10th percentile among the state's limited options. Nationally, where the median for apparel programs is $36,945, RISD graduates earn less than half that figure. The University of Rhode Island's comparable program shows graduates earning $33,161, more than double RISD's outcome.

The $27,000 debt load compounds the problem. While slightly above state and national medians, it creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.86—meaning graduates owe nearly twice their first year's income. For context, RISD is one of the nation's most selective art schools (14% admission rate, 1480 average SAT), yet its apparel graduates face financial outcomes typically associated with for-profit institutions.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these figures could shift year to year, but they're troubling enough to warrant serious hesitation. If your child is talented enough to get into RISD, they're likely competitive for merit aid at other fashion programs with stronger earnings trajectories. Unless there's substantial family wealth to absorb low early earnings, this program presents a high financial risk.