by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the college options in Rhode Island, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. This list ranks **9** institutions by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual evaluated 9 colleges using more than 20 objective factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
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Explore the leading colleges below:
Brown University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges in Rhode Island. Located in Providence, RI, Brown University is a private not-for-profit institution. Brown University graduates 96% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $71,312. Brown University graduates report median early-career earnings of $62,820. Students borrow a median of $13,025 to complete a degree here.
Providence College came in at #2 on this year's Best Colleges ranking in Rhode Island. Providence College is a private not-for-profit school based in Providence, RI. Roughly 86% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $63,550. Graduates go on to earn a median of $53,208 early in their careers. Typical student debt is $26,833.
Bryant University came in at #3 on this year's Best Colleges ranking in Rhode Island. Set in Smithfield, RI, Bryant University is a private not-for-profit institution. Bryant University graduates 80% of students within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $52,677. Bryant University graduates report median early-career earnings of $66,637. The median student debt is $26,233.
Out of the 9 colleges in Rhode Island in this year's ranking, University Of Rhode Island landed the #4 spot. University Of Rhode Island is a public school based in Kingston, RI. The six-year graduation rate is 72%. In-state tuition and fees average $16,942, while out-of-state students pay about $37,146. Median early-career earnings reach $52,821. The median student debt is $23,432.
Salve Regina University came in at #5 on this year's Best Colleges ranking in Rhode Island. Salve Regina University is a private not-for-profit school based in Newport, RI. Salve Regina University posts a six-year graduation rate of 77%. In-state tuition and fees average $50,100. Graduates go on to earn a median of $56,636 early in their careers. The median student debt is $27,000.
Roger Williams University landed the #6 spot in Rhode Island this year. Based in Bristol, RI, Roger Williams University is a private not-for-profit institution. Roger Williams University graduates 69% of students within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,197. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $48,664. Roger Williams University students take on a median of $25,676 in debt.
Rhode Island School Of Design placed #7 among the best colleges in Rhode Island. Based in Providence, RI, Rhode Island School Of Design is a private not-for-profit institution. About 89% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $62,688. Early-career graduates earn a median of $29,894. Rhode Island School Of Design students take on a median of $26,943 in debt.
New England Institute Of Technology placed #8 among the best colleges in Rhode Island. Located in East Greenwich, RI, New England Institute Of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $37,275. New England Institute Of Technology graduates report median early-career earnings of $51,055. New England Institute Of Technology students take on a median of $24,586 in debt.
Roger Williams University School Of Law came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Roger Williams University School Of Law is a private not-for-profit school based in Bristol, RI. Early-career graduates earn a median of $55,777.
Rhode Island College landed the #10 spot in Rhode Island this year. Based in Providence, RI, Rhode Island College is a public institution. About 48% of students finish within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,300, compared with $27,299 for out-of-state students. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $45,088. Students borrow a median of $23,394 to complete a degree here.
Johnson And Wales University Providence landed the #11 spot in Rhode Island this year. Set in Providence, RI, Johnson And Wales University Providence is a private not-for-profit institution. Johnson And Wales University Providence posts a six-year graduation rate of 50%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,982. Early-career graduates earn a median of $45,920. Typical student debt is $26,350.
Community College Of Rhode Island placed #12 among the best colleges in Rhode Island. Set in Warwick, RI, Community College Of Rhode Island is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,550 in tuition and fees, compared with $14,834 for out-of-state students. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $39,680. Community College Of Rhode Island students take on a median of $13,940 in debt.
Johnson And Wales University Online placed #13 among the best colleges in Rhode Island. Johnson And Wales University Online is a private not-for-profit school based in Providence, RI. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,365. Johnson And Wales University Online graduates report median early-career earnings of $40,678. Johnson And Wales University Online students take on a median of $27,012 in debt.
New England Tractor Trailer Training School Of Rhode Island placed #14 among the best colleges in Rhode Island. This private for-profit school is set in Pawtucket, RI. New England Tractor Trailer Training School Of Rhode Island graduates report median early-career earnings of $47,146. Graduates carry a median of $9,885 in student loans.
International Yacht Restoration School landed the #15 spot in Rhode Island this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Newport, RI. Early-career graduates earn a median of $45,663. Typical student debt is $9,500.
Lincoln Technical Institute Lincoln did well this year, earning the #16 position. Lincoln Technical Institute Lincoln is a private for-profit school based in Lincoln, RI. Median early-career earnings reach $33,272. Students borrow a median of $11,562 to complete a degree here.
Motoring Technical Training Institute East Providence came in at #17 in this year's ranking. This private for-profit school is set in East Providence, RI. Graduates go on to earn a median of $38,612 early in their careers. Typical student debt is $9,326.
Empire Beauty School Warwick did well this year, earning the #18 position. Empire Beauty School Warwick is a private for-profit school based in Providence, RI. Median early-career earnings reach $18,639. Empire Beauty School Warwick students take on a median of $13,849 in debt.
Toni And Guy Hairdressing Academy Cranston ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. Based in Cranston, RI, Toni And Guy Hairdressing Academy Cranston is a private for-profit institution. Graduates go on to earn a median of $16,082 early in their careers. Toni And Guy Hairdressing Academy Cranston students take on a median of $11,200 in debt.
Paul Mitchell The School Rhode Island landed the #20 spot in Rhode Island this year. Set in Cranston, RI, Paul Mitchell The School Rhode Island is a private for-profit institution. Graduates go on to earn a median of $16,464 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete a degree here.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Colleges are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
See our data sources and methodologies.