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Our analysis found Providence College to be the best college for Student Athletes in Rhode Island. Providence College is a private not-for-profit school based in Providence, RI.
by our College Data Analytics TeamChoosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 8 programs for Student Athletes by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, College Factual scores each program on a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and aid per athlete from the EADA survey), and overall school quality, drawing on NCAA, U.S. Department of Education EADA, and IPEDS data. Learn more about our ranking methodology.
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Learn more about these schools below:
Our analysis found Providence College to be the best college for Student Athletes in Rhode Island. Providence College is a private not-for-profit school based in Providence, RI.
University of Rhode Island is one of the top schools for Student Athletes, at #2. University of Rhode Island is a public school based in Kingston, RI.
Bryant University landed the #3 spot for Student Athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Smithfield, RI.
Salve Regina University earned the #4 place for student athletes. Located in Newport, RI, Salve Regina University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Brown University ranked #5 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. Based in Providence, RI, Brown University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Roger Williams University landed the #6 spot this year. Based in Bristol, RI, Roger Williams University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Johnson & Wales University-Providence placed #7 among the best colleges for Student Athletes. Located in Providence, RI, Johnson & Wales University-Providence is a private not-for-profit institution.
Rhode Island College landed the #8 spot this year. Located in Providence, RI, Rhode Island College is a public institution.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Rankings consider a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and athletic aid from the federal EADA survey), and overall school quality. The current methodology measures academic-athletic quality and does not include team win/loss performance.
References
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.