University of Rhode Island
Kingston, Rhode Island · Public · 72.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 79/100 · Strong Value
University of Rhode Island scores 79 and lands in the Strong Value tier - a genuinely strong flagship outcome. The data show what a well-run state research university can do: a 73.3% completion rate (sub-score 83), $42,500 median earnings six years after entry climbing to $69,743 by year ten, a 40.5% earnings premium (sub-score 82), and a payback period of just 6.5 years (sub-score 86). Median debt is $22,250 against early-career earnings, producing a 0.524 debt-to-earnings ratio (sub-score 68). The 78.3% three-year repayment rate confirms graduates can service their borrowing. Cost is the trade-off: in-state tuition is $16,942 (higher than most state flagships - URI is one of the more expensive state schools in the Northeast), and out-of-state is $37,146. Net price is $21,440 and total four-year cost runs $85,760. The school's strength lies in its strong engineering, computer science, ocean engineering, nursing, and business pipelines, which produce A and B+ outcomes that pull the overall score up meaningfully. The arts, humanities, and environmental-studies tracks produce weaker D-grade outcomes but at the state-flagship price are still defensible.
University of Rhode Island scores in the top 25% of all schools we track, with strong earnings outcomes relative to cost.
University of Rhode Island
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $16,942/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $37,146/yr |
| Average net price | $21,440/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $85,760 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $69,743 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $42,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $22,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $236 |
| Estimated payback period | 6.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 73.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 13,381 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at University of Rhode Island is $16,942/year ($37,146/year out-of-state). But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $21,440/year, or roughly $85,760 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $14,368/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $28,460/year.
The median graduate leaves with $22,250 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $236 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $69,743 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.52 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
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 | $14,368 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,923 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,803 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $23,394 |
| $110,001+ | $28,460 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 are quoted $14,368 net per year (about $57,472 over four years). The $30,001-48,000 bracket shows an inverted dip to $12,923 - lower than the bottom bracket - which is unusual and should be flagged but is likely a small-sample artifact. Either way, four-year cost for low-income students lands at $52,000-$58,000, achievable with Pell plus state grants.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-110,000) pay $17,803-$23,394 net per year. Four-year cost runs $71,000-$94,000. Against $42,500 six-year earnings, the math works comfortably within the 6.5-year payback period. This is the band where URI's value proposition is cleanest.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $28,460 per year ($113,840 over four years). Aid scaling between top and bottom brackets is real (about $14,000/year), but at the top tier URI approaches private-college pricing. For high-income Rhode Island residents, the comparison is whether to stay in-state or pay similar money for a higher-ranked private.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Rhode Island with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $96,020 | B+ |
| Psychology | $56,571 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $64,520 | C |
| Biology | $80,379 | C+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $79,692 | B |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $72,328 | C+ |
| Teacher Education | $56,999 | C+ |
| Finance and Financial Management | $87,196 | C+ |
| Political Science and Government | $31,729 | C |
| Mechanical Engineering | $89,901 | 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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is the largest program at 292 graduates with $82,218 first-year earnings, $96,020 by year four, $26,390 of debt, and a 0.321 debt-to-earnings ratio for a B+ grade. URI feeds directly into the Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts hospital systems, and these are top-decile RN outcomes that anchor the school's value proposition.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 241 students with $37,414 first-year earnings and $56,571 by year four. Debt is $23,880 and debt-to-earnings is 0.638 for a C grade. This is the modal undergraduate humanities outcome at URI and reflects the structural earnings ceiling of psychology bachelor's degrees without graduate continuation.
Communication and Media Studies
Communication and Media Studies graduates 200 students with $36,785 first-year earnings and $64,520 by year four. Debt of $24,887 and debt-to-earnings of 0.677 yield a C grade. The four-year jump is decent but the first-year number signals the typical post-graduation underemployment problem for comm grads.
Biology
Biology graduates 173 students earning $45,846 in year one and $80,379 by year four. Debt is $24,215 and debt-to-earnings is 0.528 for a C+ grade. The strong four-year jump reflects substantial graduate-school continuation; for students stopping at the bachelor's, the year-one figure is more predictive.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration graduates 164 students with $55,160 first-year earnings and $79,692 by year four. Debt of $20,500 and debt-to-earnings of 0.372 yield a B grade. Strong Boston/Providence-corridor placement and a defensible debt-to-earnings ratio make this one of the cleaner ROI cases in the file.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 74.3% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 78.3% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 73.6% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 79.0% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 72.2% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 500-630 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 520-650 |
| Enrollment | 13,381 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 21.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $11,089 |
URI admits 72.2% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 500-630 (math) and 520-650 (reading). ACT mid-ranges are not reported. This is moderately selective by flagship-public standards. The combination of a 72% admit rate with a 73% completion rate is unusually well-aligned - the school is admitting students who can actually finish, and the screen and the outcomes line up. SAT mid-ranges are average for a flagship public and indicate solid but not elite academic preparation.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
URI's peer set (Rhode Island College, University at Albany, University of Nevada-Reno, UMBC, CU-Denver Anschutz) is well-chosen. Rhode Island College is the in-state regional comp at a lower price with weaker outcomes. UMBC is the closest national peer as another mid-sized public research university with strong STEM programs and typically scores in the same Strong Value band. SUNY Albany and UNR are comparable regional flagships. CU-Denver Anschutz is more health-sciences-focused. URI's 79 is roughly mid-pack among this group of solid mid-tier publics.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Rhode Island (this school) | 79 | $21,440 | $69,743 |
| University of Maryland-Baltimore County | 84 | $16,467 | $69,960 |
| University at Albany | 79 | $17,167 | $67,979 |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | 76 | $11,900 | $64,270 |
| University of Nevada-Reno | 75 | $15,927 | $60,614 |
| Rhode Island College | 69 | $9,478 | $56,318 |
Who Thrives Here
Enrollment is 13,381 with a 21.8% Pell rate - a relatively middle-class student body for a state flagship. URI works strongly for in-state Rhode Island students entering its engineering (especially ocean engineering, where it has a distinctive niche), nursing, computer science, accounting, and business programs. Out-of-state students paying the $37,146 sticker should price the decision carefully - the strong programs justify it, but the weaker liberal arts tracks at full freight produce ROI that is hard to defend against home-state alternatives.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
University of Rhode Island delivers above-average financial returns for its graduates. At a net cost of $21,440 per year ($85,760 over four years), graduates earn a median of $69,743 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback period at roughly 6.5 years - a solid return on the investment.
The data highlights several strengths: strong earnings premium over high school graduates, a 73.3% graduation rate.
Median debt of $22,250 against $69,743 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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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.