Top Ranked U.S. Colleges: Universities | Public Universities | Liberal Arts Colleges | Engineering | Business | Women's | Most Selective | More Top Picks
Even though it's the country's smallest state, Rhode Island has some wonderful choices for college. My top picks for the state range in size from a couple thousand students to over 16,000. The schools represent a wide range of missions and personalities, and my top picks include an Ivy League school, an art school, a professional school, and a public university. The admissions standards vary greatly, so be sure to click on the profiles to learn more. My selection criteria include retention rates, four- and six-year graduation rates, value, student engagement, and notable curricular strengths. I have listed the schools alphabetically rather than forcing them into any kind of artificial ranking; because the schools are so different, any kind of ranking would be dubious at best.
Compare Rhode Island Colleges: SAT Scores | ACT Scores
Brown University
_Gene_ Flickr
- Location: Providence, Rhode Island
- Enrollment: 8,705 (6,318 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: private university
- Distinctions: member of the Ivy League; one of the country's most selective colleges; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; member of the Association of American Universities for strong research programs; 9 to 1 student / faculty ratio
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Brown University profile
Bryant University
Bullshark44 / Wikimedia Commons
- Location: Smithfield, Rhode Island
- Enrollment: 3,632 (3,386 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: private university
- Distinctions: highly rated master's university in the North; strong business school; students from 31 states and 45 countries; 16 to 1 student / faculty ratio; member of the NCAA Division I Northeast Conference
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Bryant University profile
Johnson & Wales University
boliyou / Flickr
- Location: Providence, Rhode Island
- Enrollment: 10,974 (9,703 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: private university with a professional focus
- Distinctions: students from 50 states and 71 countries; hands-on, career-focused approach to learning; strengths in culinary arts, business, and hospitality; NCAA Division III athletic programs
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Johnson & Wales University profile
Providence College
Obersmith / Flickr
- Location: Providence, Rhode Island
- Enrollment: 4,900 (4,238 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: private Catholic college
- Distinctions: 13 to 1 student / faculty ratio; one of the country's top Catholic colleges; distinct four-semester course on western civilization; member of the NCAA Division I Big East Conferene
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Providence College profile
Rhode Island School of Design
spablab / Flickr
- Location: Providence, Rhode Island
- Enrollment: 2,406 (1,975 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: private art and design school
- Distinctions: one of the country's top art schools; high job placement rate; selective portfolio-based admissions; joint degree program with Brown University; 9 to 1 student / faculty ratio
- For more information and admissions data, visit the RISD profile
Roger Williams University
bigfoot / Flickr
- Location: Bristol, Rhode Island
- Enrollment: 4,680 (4,310 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: private university
- Distinctions: 12 to 1 student / faculty ratio; average class size of 19; active student life with over 100 clubs and organizations; waterfront location and strong sailing team; NCAA Division III athletic programs
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Roger Williams University profile
Salve Regina University
Susan Cole Kelly / Flickr
- Location: Newport, Rhode Island
- Enrollment: 2,584 (1,989 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: private Catholic university
- Distinctions: waterfront campus in a historic neighborhood; 14 to 1 student / faculty ratio; popular professional fields such as nursing, business and criminal justice; NCAA Division II athletics
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Salve Regina University profile
University of Rhode Island
Wasted Time R / Wikimedia Commons
- Location: Kingston, Rhode Island
- Enrollment: 16,294 (13,093 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: public university
- Distinctions: chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; Honors Program for high achieving students; good educational value; member of the NCAA Division I Atlantic 10 Conference
- For more information and admissions data, visit the University of Rhode Island profile
