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Is Rhode Island College worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Rhode Island, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Stretch
Rhode Island sits in the stretch band for a typical family. The long-run earnings picture at $56,318 helps, but median debt of $20,500 plus yearly net price of $9,478 creates a tighter path. For context, Rhode Island's net price is about 12% below the typical 4-year, public school. It can work, but the financing plan has to be deliberate.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 774 similar 4-year, public schools
This school
$11,549
/yrAverage school like this
$13,155
/yrThis helps your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $1,606 less per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $6,000 in savings.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$9,478
Median earnings 10 years out
$56,318
Median debt at graduation
$20,500
Graduation rate
47%
At Rhode Island, a typical graduate carries about $20,500 in student debt and earns roughly $56,318 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $233 per month, or 5% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
What this means for your family
Rhode Island is a public four year school in Providence, RI. For many families, the key question is whether the published value here beats cheaper in state or regional alternatives once your real aid offer arrives.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Public 4-year
University of Michigan-Dearborn
Dearborn, MI
Worth-It Score: 70/100
Median net price: $9,492
Public 4-year
Portland State
Portland, OR
Worth-It Score: 67/100
Median net price: $9,552
Public 4-year
The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX
Worth-It Score: 64/100
Median net price: $9,403
Public 4-year
Lamar
Beaumont, TX
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $9,366
Public 4-year
University of West Florida
Pensacola, FL
Worth-It Score: 70/100
Median net price: $9,364
Common questions about Rhode Island
The median net price at Rhode Island is $9,478 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at public universities options in Rhode Island? See the most affordable public universities in Rhode Island →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →