Here Are The Best Rhode Island Colleges, According To New Rankings

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

Niche said its 2024 Best Colleges Rankings reflect the declining importance of SAT and ACT scores and the increasing importance prospective students and their families place on value and economic mobility — that is, the ability of students to improve their economic status after graduation.

The platform evaluated 4,048 public and private four-year colleges nationwide and developed separate lists for the best academics value, food, dorms and college life.

The top five colleges in Rhode Island are:

1. Brown University
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 6 percent
Net price: $25,028
SAT range: 1460 to 1570

2. Rhode Island School of Design
Overall Niche grade: A-
Acceptance rate: 19 percent
Net price: $38,234
SAT range: 1310 to 1480

3. Providence College
Overall Niche grade: B+
Acceptance rate: 58 percent
Net price: $39,566
SAT range: 1120-1330

4. Salve Regina
Overall Niche grade: B
Acceptance rate: 73 percent
Net price: $36,708
SAT range: 1020-1190

5. University of Rhode Island
Overall Niche grade: B
Acceptance rate: 76 percent
Net price: $20,496
SAT range: 1090-1290.

Other Rhode Island schools ranked by Niche are found on the website.

To rank the schools, Niche analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Education along with reviews and ratings from current students, alumni and parents. The new economic mobility index takes into account the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants, the net tuition price for students from low-income households and the median earnings of those students six years after they get their first post-graduation jobs.

The top schools nationwide are, respectively: Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut;

Stanford University, Stanford, California; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge; Harvard University, Cambridge; and Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey.

The best value colleges are, respectively, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, California; Stanford University; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; California Institute of Technology, Pasadena; and Clarmont-McKenna College.

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