Rhode Island College
Providence, Rhode Island · Public · 91.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 69/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Rhode Island College, the state's public regional university in Providence, posts a Fair Value ROI score of 69/100. The composite is anchored by an exceptional earnings premium subscore of 92, reflecting 10-year median earnings of $56,318 against the state's relatively high cost of living, and an 8.3-year payback period. In-state tuition is $11,300, the average net price after aid lands at just $9,478, and four-year total cost is roughly $37,912 - genuinely affordable. Median federal debt is $20,500 with a 0.571 debt-to-earnings ratio. Repayment rates (72.3% at one year, 76.3% at three years) are healthy. The drag on the composite is the 48.1% completion rate, which keeps the school from a higher tier. RIC's Nursing, Computer Science, and Allied Health programs drive the strong earnings story; its arts and social-services majors weigh on the average.
Rhode Island College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $11,300/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $27,299/yr |
| Average net price | $9,478/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $37,912 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $56,318 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $35,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $217 |
| Estimated payback period | 8.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 48.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 5,049 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $11,300/year ($27,299/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $9,478/year, or roughly $37,912 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $6,378/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $15,681/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,500, which works out to about $217 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($35,900) and comes to 0.57, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $6,378 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $6,989 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $8,701 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $12,809 |
| $110,001+ | $15,681 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $6,378 net per year, and the $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $6,989. Pell and Rhode Island state grants stack effectively. Four-year out-of-pocket near $26,000-$28,000 is exceptional value, especially against the school's $56,318 ten-year median earnings.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $8,701, and $75,001-$110,000 pays $12,809. Middle-income Rhode Islanders should view RIC as a strong default choice for the high-ROI majors.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $15,681 per year, or about $62,724 over four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Rhode Island College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $83,068 | B |
| Psychology | $52,758 | C |
| Social Work | $53,312 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $58,221 | C+ |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $53,057 | C |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $58,156 | C |
| Allied Health Diagnostic and Treatment | $84,238 | B |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $50,854 | D |
| Computer Science | $83,259 | B |
| Accounting | $68,616 | B |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Psychology
Psychology is RIC's largest cohort (113 grads) but earns only a C ROI grade. First-year earnings of $33,694 climb to $52,758 by year four, with median debt of $22,723. The 0.674 debt-to-earnings ratio is workable but unimpressive. Most career paths require graduate study; terminal-bachelor's grads land in social services or HR adjacent roles at modest pay.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is RIC's flagship program: 121 graduates, $73,235 in first-year earnings rising to $83,068 by year four, B ROI grade, and a 0.369 debt-to-earnings ratio. This is the program that anchors the school's strong earnings premium.
Social Work
Social Work (90 grads) earns a D ROI grade. First-year earnings of $33,561 against $24,100 of median debt yield a 0.718 ratio. Career paths into Rhode Island state agencies and nonprofit human services are stable but wage trajectories are flat. PSLF eligibility partially offsets the modest earnings for graduates in qualifying nonprofit roles.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (66 grads) earns a C+ ROI grade. Four-year earnings of $58,221 against $23,044 of debt produce a 0.535 ratio. Graduates fan out across regional banking, healthcare administration, and Providence-area corporate roles.
Computer Science
Computer Science (42 grads) earns a B ROI grade. First-year earnings of $60,361 climb to $83,259 by year four, with median debt of $25,000 producing a 0.414 ratio. Providence's growing tech corridor and proximity to Boston employers support placement. Together with Nursing, this is one of RIC's strongest value propositions.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 72.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 76.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 65.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 70.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Rhode Island College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 91.8% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 420-540 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 450-580 |
| Enrollment | 5,049 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 42.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $11,523 |
RIC is essentially open-admission at a 91.8% admit rate. SAT mid-ranges are 420-540 math and 450-580 reading; ACT data isn't reported. The high admit rate correlates with the sub-50% completion rate: students arrive with varying preparation, and persistence is the main predictor of outcomes.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
RIC's earnings premium reflects, in part, a Rhode Island labor market that rewards Nursing and allied health graduates well.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island College (this school) | 69 | $9,478 | $56,318 |
| University of Rhode Island | 79 | $21,440 | $69,743 |
| University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | 70 | $20,927 | $68,804 |
| University of Northern Iowa | 69 | $15,901 | $55,177 |
| University of Houston-Clear Lake | 69 | $15,563 | $59,004 |
| Eastern Washington University | 66 | $13,886 | $57,897 |
Who Thrives Here
Pell rate of 42% and enrollment of 5,049 make RIC a mid-size, broadly accessible regional public. The school fits Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts students seeking an affordable in-state path with strong Nursing, Allied Health, Computer Science, and Education pipelines.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Rhode Island College is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $9,478 a year after aid ($37,912 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $56,318 a decade out, the cost takes about 8.3 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates. What to keep an eye on: its 48.1% graduation rate.
Median debt of $20,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $35,900 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Rhode Island College: Common Questions
Is Rhode Island College worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Rhode Island College is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 69/100 on our ROI scale. At $9,478 a year after aid ($37,912 over four years) against $56,318 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 8.3 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Rhode Island College cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $9,478 a year, or roughly $37,912 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Rhode Island College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $56,318 ten years after enrolling, roughly $14,518 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Rhode Island College?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 8.3 years for Rhode Island College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Rhode Island College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,500, against average earnings of $35,900 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Rhode Island College?
The six-year graduation rate is 48.1%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.