RIC vs. URI

Should I go to Rhode Island College or University of Rhode Island? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if RIC or URI is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Rhode Island College vs. University of Rhode Island comparison
Rhode Island College University of Rhode Island College 3 College 4
Rhode Island College University of Rhode Island
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Overview

 RIC URI
Location Providence, RI Kingston, RI
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 5,767 17,351
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #705 #353
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ric.edu uri.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RIC URI
Tuition (In State) $9,481 $14,116
Tuition (Out of State) $25,014 $33,512
Room & Board $13,719 $14,900
Avg Net Price $11,549 $20,964
Avg Grant Aid $6,998 $12,803
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 98%

Admission

 RIC URI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,988 25,391
Admitted 4,045 19,568
Acceptance Rate 81.1% 77.1%
Enrolled % 20.1% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.08 3.58
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/31
SAT Range 860/1160 1030/1270
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Mar 15, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 RIC URI
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)

Outcomes

 RIC URI
Graduation Rate 44% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,000 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,200 $23,438
Median Loan Payment $219 $242

Diversity

 RIC URI
% Men 3% 6%
% Women 14% 10%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 71%
% Black 8% 5%
% Hispanic 16% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 8% 7%

Students

 RIC URI
% In-State 82% 39%
% Out-of-State 17% 60%

Campus

 RIC URI
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Rhode Island is larger than than RIC based on total student enrollment (17,351 students vs. 5,767 students)

RIC vs. URI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RIC or URI?

  • University of Rhode Island is 48.9% more expensive to attend than RIC for in-state tuition ($14,116.00 vs. $9,481.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 34% higher at URI than Rhode Island College ($33,512.00 vs. $25,014.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rhode Island College than URI ($11,549 vs. $20,964)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island College are 8.6% lower than costs at University of Rhode Island ($13,719 vs. $14,900)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Rhode Island than Rhode Island College (98% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Rhode Island students is 83% larger than aid received Rhode Island College ($12,803 vs. $6,998)

RIC vs. URI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, RIC or URI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between URI or RIC .

  • The average SAT score at University of Rhode Island (1077) is 164 points higher than at RIC (913)
  • Incoming URI students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at RIC (19)
  • Accepted freshman URI students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at RIC (3.08)
  • RIC has a higher acceptance rate (81.1%) than URI (77.1%)

RIC vs. URI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RIC or URI? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between URI and RIC.

  • The graduation rate at URI is higher than Rhode Island College (63% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from University of Rhode Island earn on average $14,200 more per year than RIC graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $42,000)
  • Rhode Island College students graduate with a $2,238 lower median federal student loan debt than URI graduates. ($21,200 vs. $23,438)
  • RIC graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than URI graduates. ($219 vs. $242)
  • More URI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RIC students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 59%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/