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Rhode Island College

Rhode Island College

Providence, RI · Suburb · 5,049 students
WebsiteCommon AppForbes rankingScorecard
Application deadlines: Check the admissions site
$9,478
Average net priceYour net price
In-state · 2023-24
<30
30–48
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
47%
Graduation rate
Entered fall 2017 & 2018
54% typical
$56,318
Earnings 10 years on
Measured 2020 & 2021
$55,177 typical
92%
Acceptance rate
Applied for fall 2024
82% typical · not scored
Accredited by New England Commission on Higher Education
About

Established in 1854 as the state’s first public institution of higher education, Rhode Island College (RIC) in Providence is best known for its accessible, career-focused degree tracks and deep regional impact. Its strongest academic offerings reside within the highly regarded Zvart Onanian School of Nursing, the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development, and well-respected programs in social work, business, and the performing arts. Campus life features a supportive, diverse mix of commuter and residential students who engage in over 70 student organizations, NCAA Division III athletics, and active community-based service. RIC distinctly sets itself apart as a powerful engine for social mobility and affordability, educating a substantial percentage of Rhode Island’s nurses, teachers, and public sector leaders through extensive clinical and field placements.

Wikipedia:Rhode Island College (RIC) is a public college in Rhode Island, United States, with much of the land in Providence, and other parts in North Providence. The college was established in 1854 as the Rhode Island State Normal School, making it the second-oldest institution of higher education in Rhode Island after Brown University. Located on a 180-acre (73 ha) campus, the college has a student body of 6,000. RIC is a member of the NCAA and has 17 Division III teams.

Location
Providence, RI, 02908 · Suburb campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
PVD · Providence
8 mi away
Open in Google Maps
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
In-stateOut-of-state
Tuition & fees$11,300$27,299
Housing & food (on campus)$13,414$13,414
Books & supplies$1,200$1,200
Cost of attendance$17,454$49,341
Average net price$9,478Not published
Out-of-state prices
Tuition & fees$27,299
In-state: $11,300
Housing & food (on campus)$13,414
Books & supplies$1,200
Cost of attendance$49,341
In-state: $17,454
Average net priceNot published
In-state: $9,478
Source: U.S. College Scorecard · published total: www.ric.edu
How it’s made up · out-of-state, 2026-27
Rhode Island College’s own figures for 2026-2027, newer than the 2024-25 federal figures above, so the amounts differ.
Tuition$29,261
Books & supplies$1,200
Personal expenses$2,360
Transportation$1,340
Total published by the school$49,341
Net price by family income · in-state students, 2023-24
$0–30k
$6,378
$30–48k
$6,989
$48–75k
$8,701
$75–110k
$12,809
$110k+
$15,681
Merit aid · 2024-25
Awarded without financial need. Students with financial need can get merit awards too; they're counted as need-based aid.
Average award$2,129
First-years who got one54
Source: Rhode Island College's Common Data Set — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures.
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
47%
Entered 2017–18
Within 4 yrs
27%
Back for yr 2
73%
Transferred
0%
8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students
48% graduated · 22% transferred · 1% still enrolled · 29% left or unknown
Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021
6 yrs after entry$46,882
10 yrs after entry$56,318
Debt
Median at graduation$20,500
Monthly payment$217
Middle 50% owe$5.5k–$25k
90th percentile$34,500
Green marks a figure above the typical Master's (larger programs): $55,177 earned 10 yrs after entry.
Admissions
Getting in · applied for fall 2024
Admit rate
92%
Test policy
Test optional
Per College Scorecard
SAT average
990
R 450–580 · M 420–540
SAT middle 50%: 870–1120
40080012001600

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Essay prompts

If Rhode Island College asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body
Gender
Men 32%Women 68%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
15 : 1
Pell grant
42%
First-gen
45%
Family income
$35,669
Independent
24%
Veterans
0%
Age at entry
22.0
Part-time
14%
Race & ethnicity
White
48%
Hispanic
28%
Black
12%
Asian
3%
Two or more
3%
Unknown
5%
Varsity sports
NCAA Division III without football · EADA 2024-25
  • Baseball
    Men's
  • Basketball
    Men's · Women's
  • Cross Country
    Men's · Women's
  • Golf
    Men's · Women's
  • Gymnastics
    Women's
  • Lacrosse
    Women's
  • Soccer
    Men's · Women's
  • Softball
    Women's
  • Swimming
    Women's
  • Tennis
    Men's · Women's
  • Track and Field (Indoor)
    Men's · Women's
  • Track and Field (Outdoor)
    Men's · Women's
  • Volleyball
    Women's
  • Wrestling
    Men's
Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021
After 6 yrs
$46,882
After 10 yrs
$56,318
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing121
Psychology, General113
Social Work90
Business Administration, Management and Operations66
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas59
Criminal Justice and Corrections53
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions49
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General44
Computer Science42
Accounting and Related Services39
Biology, General36
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods33
Health and Medical Administrative Services24
Sociology23
Marketing23
Political Science and Government22
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$47M
Full-time faculty
100%
Faculty salary
$11,523/mo
Teaching spend
$10,795
per student
Federal loans
47%
Classification
Carnegie type
Master's (larger programs)
Research activity
Research college or university
$4M research spending · 7 research doctorates a year
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, inclusive admissions

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