Best Colleges in Rhode Island

Why Should I Consider Studying in Rhode Island?

Attending college in Rhode Island can be an incredible experience for students. Even as the smallest state in the United States, Rhode Island is filled with rich history, stunning coastline, and an unique culture all its own. Rhode Island is also a hub for higher education with some of the most elite programs in the world.

The state’s largest university is Brown University in Providence. The Ivy League School is one of the most respected and highly ranked universities in the world. Brown offers a range of undergraduate and graduate programs, but has an unique open curriculum style which allows students to design their own path through their studies and follow their personal areas of interest.

The Rhode Island School of Design can also be found in Providence. RISD is one of the leading art and design schools in the country with programs ranging from architecture and industrial design to photography. The Rhode Island School of Design prides itself on preparing students to be ready for professional careers.

Rhode Island’s largest public university is the University of Rhode Island. URI has a beautiful campus in Kingston with strong programs for students interested in business, engineering, or the sciences.

Rhode Island Higher Education By The Numbers

Colleges in Rhode Island

Rhode Island has the 6th fewest colleges in the USA with 21 colleges based there. For some reference, that's 2.1 times as many colleges as the state with the fewest. 86% of Rhode Island's colleges are private and 14% of its colleges are public. (18 private colleges & 3 public colleges). It has the 2nd highest private to public college ratio of any American state.

Our favorite public colleges in Rhode Island are University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, and Community College of Rhode Island. Our favorite private colleges are Brown University, Rhode Island School of Design, and Providence College. University of Rhode Island is the biggest top 25 college (21,108 students).

Students in Rhode Island

The most popular state has 3,747,479 college students. Rhode Island has 3,650,977 fewer. There are 49,081 public college students and 47,421 private college students in Rhode Island. It has the 5th fewest public students and the 17th fewest private students of any state. Its 96,502 total students make it the 42nd most popular locale in the nation. 51% of Rhode Island's students go to public colleges which is the 7th lowest percentage around the nation.