Campus & Student Life at Roger Williams University

Home to about 4,346 undergraduates in 2020, RWU is a small, private university located in Bristol, Rhode Island. A safe, suburban environment can offer many of the amenities of city living without the constant hum. Should you tire of the campus however, RWU offers a “study abroad” program. Please note, some classes/degrees offered by RWU can be taken “online” so keep that in mind when reviewing this report. For more context, you might also check out our RWU Guide to Distance and Online Learning.

RWU Has a Disability Services Site

Individuals with disabilities make up 14.0% of the student population at RWU. For more information on policies and accommodations that the university provides to ensure all students get the opportunity to participate, you can visit RWU Disability Services.

RWU for the Military

While not a "service academy", RWU does offer support for veterans and those seeking a career in the armed forces. Undergraduates have access to one or more ROTC programs and there is an active student veterans group on campus. For more information on policies related to veterans, you can visit RWU Veteran Services . For more information, check out our RWU for Veterans Guide.

Freshmen Living Arrangements at Roger Williams University

RWU offers on-campus housing, but freshmen are not required to take advantage of it. In the end though, most do choose to live in the dorms.

* Data compiled from students who received financial aid, including loans.

Full-time vs. Part-time Studies at Roger Williams University

RWU has a comparatively small, student body. There were 4,346 undergraduates in 2020. Full-time attendance was 3,828 (88.1%). Part-time attendance was 518 (11.9%).

Roger Williams University is Ranked #494 for Overall Diversity

Compared to other colleges and universities across the nation, RWU receives top marks for overall diversity. We rank RWU #494 out of 3,451.

The chart below shows each element that we looked at to determine this ranking, and how that metric compares to the national average. 100 would indicate excellent diversity in each category, and 1 would mean poor diversity.

You can learn more about the diversity of the student body at RWU by looking closer at the ethnic,  gender,  age, and geographic diversity metrics from the RWU Diversity Guide.

Roger Williams University Competes in the NCAA

RWU has a total of 447 student athletes, 237 men and 210 women who compete in inter-collegiate athletics.

Athletics Financing

For more information about athletics including per-team sizes, coaching and scholarships check out our Guide to Roger Williams University Athletics