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The Best Public Colleges in Rhode Island

Here are the top public colleges that in Rhode Island. The school list below shows tuition after financial aid, and with the benefit of in-state tuition. Smaller schools are excluded from our list.

  1. Rhode Island College

    Rhode Island College is a four-year, medium full-time, inclusive, higher transfer-in, higher education institution located in Providence, RI. It has an enrollment of 5,128 undergraduate students. The admissions acceptance rate is 84.83%. The average annual cost of attendance after financial aid is $10,986. The school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 13 to 1.

    The average SAT score was unreported for the incoming class of 2023. The median ACT score was unreported for the incoming class to 2023.

    Recent Graduate Salaries

    (Average salaries of students from select majors two years after graduation)

    • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $35,060
    • Communication and Media Studies. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $30,650
    • Computer and Information Sciences, General. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $65,797
    • Educational Administration and Supervision. (Master’s Degree) – $71,575
    • Special Education and Teaching. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $41,565
    • Special Education and Teaching. (Master’s Degree) – $52,941
    • Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $36,848
    • Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. (Master’s Degree) – $39,009
    • Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $39,969
    • Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. (Master’s Degree) – $56,641
    • English Language and Literature, General. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $25,194
    • Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $28,960
    • Biology, General. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $36,131
    • Neurobiology and Neurosciences. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $32,391
    • Mathematics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $49,840
    • Chemistry. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $39,009
    • Psychology, General. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $33,216
    • Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology. (Master’s Degree) – $44,942
    • Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology. (Graduate/Professional Certificate) – $54,748
    • Criminal Justice and Corrections. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $35,799
    • Social Work. (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) – $16,663
    • Social Work. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $32,874
    • Social Work. (Master’s Degree) – $48,864
    • Political Science and Government. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $37,208
    • Sociology. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $32,658
    • Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $25,967
    • Fine and Studio Arts. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $29,141
    • Music. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $21,508
    • Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $27,476
    • Health and Medical Administrative Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $38,769
    • Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $53,775
    • Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $27,295
    • Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $65,610
    • Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. (Master’s Degree) – $104,192
    • Business Administration, Management and Operations. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $42,073
    • Accounting and Related Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $49,019
    • Accounting and Related Services. (Master’s Degree) – $65,387
    • Finance and Financial Management Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $52,607
    • Management Information Systems and Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $47,729
    • Marketing. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $34,704
    • History. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $32,925

    Rhode Island College School Spirit

    Rhode Island College has a strong sense of school spirit. The campus community holds a variety of events that showcase their Anchor pride, including sports games, homecoming events, and club activities. The college has over 80 student clubs and organizations, so students can get involved with groups that align with their interests and passions. Additionally, Rhode Island College has an active student government that represents student interests and enhances the quality of student life. Overall, the college community is friendly, supportive, and enthusiastic about showcasing their Anchor pride.

    Learn more about Rhode Island College

  2. University of Rhode Island

    University of Rhode Island is a four-year, full-time, selective, lower transfer-in, higher education institution located in Kingston, RI. It has an enrollment of 13,850 undergraduate students. The admissions acceptance rate is 76.46%. The average annual cost of attendance after financial aid is $19,925. The school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 17 to 1.

    The average SAT score was 1200.0 for the incoming class of 2023. The median ACT score was 28.0 for the incoming class to 2023.

    Recent Graduate Salaries

    (Average salaries of students from select majors two years after graduation)

    • Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $33,993
    • Animal Sciences. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $26,276
    • Natural Resources Conservation and Research. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $33,993
    • Natural Resources Management and Policy. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $44,933
    • Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $23,693
    • Landscape Architecture. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $42,123
    • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $36,668
    • Communication and Media Studies. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $36,124
    • Journalism. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $25,658
    • Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $40,608
    • Computer and Information Sciences, General. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $67,995
    • Education, General. (Master’s Degree) – $49,214
    • Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $37,671
    • Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $31,133
    • Biomedical/Medical Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $61,814
    • Chemical Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $61,064
    • Civil Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $58,522
    • Civil Engineering. (Master’s Degree) – $63,997
    • Computer Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $71,473
    • Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $72,693
    • Mechanical Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $63,880
    • Ocean Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $63,600
    • Industrial Engineering. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $63,749
    • Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $52,107
    • Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $39,585
    • Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $30,186
    • Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services. (Master’s Degree) – $44,356
    • Apparel and Textiles. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $38,829
    • English Language and Literature, General. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $31,853
    • English Language and Literature, General. (Doctoral Degree) – $58,673
    • Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $23,693
    • Library Science and Administration. (Master’s Degree) – $44,021
    • Biology, General. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $36,668
    • Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $34,704
    • Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $24,421
    • Mathematics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $46,087
    • Health-Related Knowledge and Skills. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $31,423
    • Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $28,598
    • Psychology, General. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $31,404
    • Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology. (Doctoral Degree) – $63,600
    • Public Administration. (Master’s Degree) – $63,005
    • Public Policy Analysis. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $36,668
    • Economics. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $40,392
    • Geography and Cartography. (Graduate/Professional Certificate) – $48,745
    • Political Science and Government. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $32,806
    • Sociology. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $36,745
    • Social Sciences, Other. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $32,854
    • Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $24,201
    • Film/Video and Photographic Arts. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $25,658
    • Fine and Studio Arts. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $24,035
    • Music. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $36,848
    • Communication Disorders Sciences and Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $32,925
    • Communication Disorders Sciences and Services. (Master’s Degree) – $55,286
    • Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $57,318
    • Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration. (First Professional Degree) – $113,894
    • Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. (First Professional Degree) – $73,720
    • Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $28,960
    • Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $66,332
    • Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. (Master’s Degree) – $109,286
    • Business Administration, Management and Operations. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $50,387
    • Accounting and Related Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $49,019
    • Accounting and Related Services. (Master’s Degree) – $65,557
    • Finance and Financial Management Services. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $54,970
    • Marketing. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $47,260
    • History. (Bachelor’s Degree) – $30,926

    University of Rhode Island School Spirit

    The University of Rhode Island has a strong school spirit. The university has over 200 student organizations, including a pep band, cheerleading team, and many sports teams. The campus also hosts many traditional events that promote school spirit, such as homecoming, Rhody Madness, Midnight Madness, and more. The school spirit is also shown through the school colors, which are blue and white, and the mascot, Rhody the Ram. Students and alumni also take pride in the accomplishments of the athletic teams and often come out to support them during games and tournaments.

    Learn more about University of Rhode Island