by our College Data Analytics TeamBelow is the data on what it actually costs to attend University of Rhode Island, from the published cost of attendance and projected degree cost through to net price, median student debt at graduation, default outcomes, and how aid varies by family income.
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The total cost of attendance at University of Rhode Island varied between $32,584.00 through $52,788.00 depending on whether you qualify for in-state rates.
Where you live mattered — in-state students paid less than out-of-state students: about $32,584.00 in-state versus $52,788.00 for those paying out-of-state rates.
Cost is shown below as the full sticker price, the average net price after aid, and the low-income net price.
| Tuition and fees | $16,942.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $15,642.00 |
| Total cost | $32,584.00 |
| That is 69% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $32,584.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$12,881.00 |
| Net price | $19,703.00 |
| That is 2% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $32,584.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$19,953.00 |
| Net price | $12,631.00 |
| That is 34% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $37,146.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $15,642.00 |
| Total cost | $52,788.00 |
| That is 174% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $52,788.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$12,881.00 |
| Net price | $39,907.00 |
| That is 107% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $52,788.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$19,953.00 |
| Net price | $32,835.00 |
| That is 71% above the national average net price. | |
| Go deeper on the components with tuition and fees plus room and board. |
The reported cost series has been increasing by roughly 3.7% annually, so the projections below total more than one year of attendance. The detailed projections below compare a degree for a low-income aided student, an average-aid student, and a no-aid student. Loan math assumes ten-year repayment at 6.8% interest.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.7% |
| Freshman year | $13,093.00 | $20,423.00 | $33,775.00 |
| Senior year | $14,582.00 | $22,746.00 | $37,616.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $55,313.00 | $86,283.00 | $142,691.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $21,072.00 | $32,871.00 | $54,360.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $637.00 | $993.00 | $1,642.00 |
| Total amount paid | $76,386.00 | $119,153.00 | $197,051.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.7% |
| Freshman year | $13,093.00 | $20,423.00 | $33,775.00 |
| Senior year | $13,571.00 | $21,170.00 | $35,010.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $26,664.00 | $41,593.00 | $68,785.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $10,158.00 | $15,845.00 | $26,205.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $307.00 | $479.00 | $792.00 |
| Total amount paid | $36,822.00 | $57,439.00 | $94,990.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.7% |
| Freshman year | $34,035.00 | $41,366.00 | $54,718.00 |
| Senior year | $37,906.00 | $46,070.00 | $60,941.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $143,790.00 | $174,760.00 | $231,168.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $54,779.00 | $66,577.00 | $88,067.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $1,655.00 | $2,011.00 | $2,660.00 |
| Total amount paid | $198,569.00 | $241,337.00 | $319,234.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.7% |
| Freshman year | $34,035.00 | $41,366.00 | $54,718.00 |
| Senior year | $35,280.00 | $42,878.00 | $56,718.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $69,315.00 | $84,244.00 | $111,436.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $26,406.00 | $32,094.00 | $42,453.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $798.00 | $969.00 | $1,282.00 |
| Total amount paid | $95,721.00 | $116,338.00 | $153,889.00 |
For the complete net-price picture, see the net-price section.
Net price strips out grant and scholarship aid to show what families really pay. It is usually a better planning number than the sticker cost above.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $21,440.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $19,899.00 |
What families actually pay shifts with income, since need-based grants are larger for lower-income students. Here is the average net price for each family-income range:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $12,930.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $12,326.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $16,578.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $22,524.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $27,213.00 |
Use University of Rhode Island Net Price Calculator, or get in touch with the financial aid office.
Dig into how aid is awarded on the financial aid breakdown.
The typical debt load for borrowers leaving University of Rhode Island is $17,750.00, which the Department of Education classifies as a Low ($10-20k) debt-burden category.
Across borrowers, debt at graduation distributes like this:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $5,000.00 |
| 25th | $7,909.00 |
| Median (50th) | $17,750.00 |
| 75th | $27,000.00 |
| 90th | $31,000.00 |
The distance from the 10th to the 90th percentile shows how widely debt outcomes vary.
Dig deeper into debt on the student loan debt page.
Family income tracks closely with debt at graduation. The table below divides borrowers into three income tiers:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $15,493.00 |
| Middle income | $17,500.00 |
| High income | $19,069.00 |
First-generation college students often carry different debt loads than their continuing-generation peers.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $17,500.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $18,185.00 |
Pell Grants are the federal government’s primary need-based undergraduate aid program. Contrasting Pell and non-Pell borrowers shows how need shapes debt.
The Pell-versus-non-Pell median debt difference at University of Rhode Island works out to $-163.00.
The federal default-rate classification for University of Rhode Island is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 6.8% |
For context on the loan portfolio, Stafford disbursements at University of Rhode Island reach $824,176,278.00 distributed across 46,055 recipients.
Veterans and active-duty students can access dedicated federal education aid including the GI Bill and Tuition Assistance from the Department of Defense.
| GI Bill recipients | 157 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $11,835.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 4 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $1,125.00 |
For the full rundown of veteran and military benefits, see the college veterans page.
The data above is a foundation; round it out by asking yourself about University of Rhode Island, think through the questions below:
Dig further into the cost picture with the related pages below:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.