Best Community Colleges in Rhode Island

Why Attend Community College in Rhode Island?

Considering to study at a community college can be an attractive option, as these schools tend to cost exponentially lower than private and even public universities, while providing similar courses of study. Rhode Island is no exception, with a number of good options that carry a heavy respect among employers in RI and the country as a whole. Options like the Community College of Rhode Island (which generally costs no more than $8,000 per year), the New England Institute of Technology (with a net price of $11,500 per year), and the University of Rhode Island (with a net price of $20,000 per year) are all great possibilities depending on the academic and budget preferences of students.

What Career Pathways Are Available in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island has a lot to offer to prospective students looking for job opportunities. The state ranks 47th for unique job types; there are 541 different options available, which sits about 25% below the national median of 722, as recorded by Louisiana. Despite this, Rhode Island’s economy is quite healthy and a perfect blend of industries such as tourism, healthcare, automotive and aerospace manufacturing, and banking. As a state, Rhode Island is home to 0.32% of the labor force, putting it into the 12th percentile of all other states.

When comparing Rhode Island to the national median in job quantity, the state falls short by a whopping 75%, with a difference of more than 1 million jobs (-1,367,650) when compared to the median state of Oregon. The state employs around 453k people, making it the 45th in terms of job quantity.

What Are The Most Common Jobs in Rhode Island?

Among the 541 jobs available in Rhode Island, three of the most common and worth noting are cooks, accountants, and sales reps.

Cooks

The cooks employed in Rhode Island are the 41st most common job type in the state, with 5,920 total positions. On the upside, Rhode Island pays slightly better than the national median for a cook position, with a median salary of $30,300; despite that, it still falls 40% below the top earner in this field, California. Rhode Island’s total number of cooks is a paltry 95% behind the leading state, and this gap is unlikely to close any time soon given the popularity of the industry.

Accountants & Auditors

The state of Rhode Island is home to 5,910 accountants and auditors per the latest stats, which are the 39th most of any state in the nation. As a whole, Rhode Island employs the 45th most such professionals when compared to the nation’s total of 1,318,590. Pay is quite a bit better for this role than for cooking positions - but that about goes without saying - with an annual median salary of $79,890. Inversely however, Rhode Island ranks 6th from the last when it comes to salaries - a whopping 96% behind the top payer, California.

Sales Reps

Among the 5,510 sales reps employed in Rhode Island, the state pays quite competitively with a median of $62,900. This makes it the 8th highest paying state for this role, with only 18% of states paying more per year. That national median for the role is $61,100 - so even though there's only a 3% difference - Rhode Island jumps 15+ slots in the rankings with that slight advantage. In terms of quantity, California again leasd the pack with 134k persons employed as sales reps, Rhode Island falls short of this by a whopping 96%. Sales reps are known for thier bonus compensation structures, and that's certainly no exception in Rhode Island, where reps could see their salary jump from $62,900 to more than $130,000 if they can reach the top 90th percentile of earners.