US CollegesColleges in Rhode Island: cost, admission and results
14 degree-granting colleges and universities in Rhode Island, with the admission rate, net price, graduation rate and earnings of each. The largest are University of Rhode Island (13,381 undergraduates), Community College of Rhode Island (11,171 undergraduates), Brown University (7,226 undergraduates).
Rhode Island at a glance
- Colleges on this site
- 14
- Public / private nonprofit / for-profit
- 3 / 11 / 0
- Median in-state tuition and fees
- $44,581
- Median net price a year
- $29,952
- Median admission rate
- 68%
- Median graduation rate
- 67%
- Median earnings 10 years on
- $73,336
No college in this list matches.
| College | Admission rate | Net price a year | Graduation rate | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown UniversityProvidence, RI · Private nonprofit | 5.4% | $26,976 | 96% | $99,974 |
| Bryant UniversitySmithfield, RI · Private nonprofit | 65% | $39,186 | 81% | $104,456 |
| College UnboundProvidence, RI · Private nonprofit | not reported | $20,804 | 33% | not reported |
| Community College of Rhode IslandWarwick, RI · Public | not reported | $5,861 | 26% | $47,965 |
| Johnson & Wales University-OnlineProvidence, RI · Private nonprofit | 91% | $22,071 | 0% | $53,928 |
| Johnson & Wales University-ProvidenceProvidence, RI · Private nonprofit | 88% | $29,952 | 49% | $53,928 |
| New England Institute of TechnologyEast Greenwich, RI · Private nonprofit | 67% | $39,333 | 55% | $60,289 |
| Providence CollegeProvidence, RI · Private nonprofit | 51% | $49,594 | 86% | $90,260 |
| Rhode Island CollegeProvidence, RI · Public | 92% | $10,959 | 45% | $60,399 |
| Rhode Island School of DesignProvidence, RI · Private nonprofit | 19% | $50,513 | 92% | $69,341 |
| Roger Williams UniversityBristol, RI · Private nonprofit | 88% | $37,645 | 67% | $77,127 |
| Roger Williams University School of LawBristol, RI · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | $77,127 |
| Salve Regina UniversityNewport, RI · Private nonprofit | 68% | $36,528 | 73% | $73,336 |
| University of Rhode IslandKingston, RI · Public | 72% | $22,469 | 72% | $73,439 |
"Not reported" means the Department of Education has no figure, often because the college is small, new, or does not take first-time students. Medians are the middle value of the colleges listed here.
The colleges of Rhode Island in brief
Of the 14 colleges listed for Rhode Island, 3 are public and 11 are private nonprofit. By level, 11 mainly award bachelor's degrees, 2 mainly award two-year associate degrees and 1 mainly awards graduate degrees. Together they teach about 60,680 undergraduates, 49% of them at public colleges. The three largest, University of Rhode Island, Community College of Rhode Island and Brown University, hold 52% of the total, and the middle-sized college has 3,868 undergraduates. The towns with the most colleges are Providence (7) and Bristol (2).
What college costs in Rhode Island
At the public colleges, the median published tuition and fees are $11,709 a year for students from Rhode Island and $28,268 for students from elsewhere. At the private nonprofit colleges the median is $49,104. Published prices are not what most families pay. Counting colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the lowest average net price after grants is at Community College of Rhode Island ($5,861) and Rhode Island College ($10,959) and the highest at Rhode Island School of Design ($50,513) and Providence College ($49,594). The median net price across the state, $29,952, is 73% above the national median of $17,357.
Getting in
11 of the 14 colleges report an admission rate. The hardest to get into are Brown University (5.4% admitted), Rhode Island School of Design (19% admitted) and Providence College (51% admitted). 5 of them admit at least seven applicants in ten. 2 colleges have an open admission policy and report no rate: they do not turn applicants away on grades or test scores.
Finishing and earning
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the highest share of students finishing their course is at Brown University (96%), Rhode Island School of Design (92%) and Providence College (86%). The median graduation rate of the state's colleges is 67%, against 49% for the country. Ten years after starting, former students with federal aid earn the most at Bryant University ($104,456), Brown University ($99,974) and Providence College ($90,260). The state median for that measure is $73,336, 38% above the national $53,132. Students who finish leave with a median federal loan debt of $24,125 (national median $19,994). Earnings follow the subjects a college teaches as much as its quality, so compare like with like.
Questions about colleges in Rhode Island
How many colleges are there in Rhode Island?
This site lists 14 open, degree-granting colleges and universities in Rhode Island, out of 3,161 on the whole site. Schools that mainly give short certificates are not counted.
What is the largest college in Rhode Island?
University of Rhode Island in Kingston, with about 13,381 undergraduate students.
Which college in Rhode Island has the lowest net price?
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, Community College of Rhode Island: students with federal aid paid an average of $5,861 a year after grants. Students from other states or countries usually pay more.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, data released on 2 November 2026; checked in November 2026. Net price, debt and earnings describe students who received US federal aid. Costs change each year. This is official data for general information, not advice: confirm costs and admission rules on the college's own website and at collegescorecard.ed.gov.