Here Are The Best Colleges In Rhode Island, According To Niche

Brown University is the best college in Rhode Island, according to rankings released Monday by Niche, a college ranking and review platform. In all, 10 colleges in YOUR STATE were ranked among the best.

More than 4,000 U.S. colleges and universities were ranked in the 2026 Best Colleges in America

The top five colleges in Rhode Island are:

1. Brown University
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 5%
Net price: $26,608
SAT range: 1500-1570

2. Rhode Island School of Design
Overall Niche grade: A-
Acceptance rate: 14%
Net price: $42,106
SAT range: optional

3. Providence College
Overall Niche grade: B+
Acceptance rate: 49%
Net price: $46,645
SAT range: optional

4. Salve Regina
Overall Niche grade: B+
Acceptance rate: 70%
Net price: $37,794
SAT range: optional

5. Bryant University
Overall Niche grade: B
Acceptance rate: 66%
Net price: $40,612
SAT range: optional

Other Rhode Island schools and their rankings are found on the Niche website.

Niche also ranked the best colleges for athletics, student life, dorm life and other aspects of college life that are important to students.

2026 Best Colleges in America

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
2. Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
3. Stanford University, Stanford, California
4. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
5. Dartmouth University, Hanover, New Hampshire

2026 Colleges with the Best Student Life in America

1. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
2. University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
3. University of California, Los Angeles
4. 4. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
5. Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

2026 Best College Athletics in America

1. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
2. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
3. The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
4. University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
5. 5. Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina

“We built Niche to help students and families cut through the noise and make informed choices,” Niche founder and CEO Luke Skurman said in a news release. “Our rankings are designed to reflect not just data, but the real voices and lived experiences of students across the country. That blend of insight is what makes Niche unique. We’re giving students the clarity to identify the colleges where they see themselves belonging and succeeding.”

Niche’s rankings are based on data from the U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation; enrollment, graduation, and alumni earnings statistics; and more than 1 million college reviews from students and alumni. More about the methodology is found on the website.

Related: Forbes Names 20 Colleges ‘New Ivies,’ Notes Employers Prefer Them