Colleges › Rhode Island › University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
Most applicants get into University of Rhode Island — 72.2% were admitted — so the real questions are cost, fit and outcomes, covered below.
Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →
University of Rhode Island occupies suburban Kingston, RI — a public campus quieter than a downtown one, closer to one than a rural seat. It carries a land-grant charter — the 1862 mandate that ties it to agricultural and practical education.
Its highest-earning path is Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering, where graduates median $106,153 four years out. Faculty pay averages $133,068 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 13,381 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 83.6% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1030 and 1270 — below the RI middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on University of Rhode Island's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
Scores help here but aren't the gate. If your SAT sits inside the 1030–1270 submitter range, sending it likely helps; below it, University of Rhode Island's own policy says you can leave it out.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 520 | 590 | 650 |
| SAT Math | 510 | 570 | 620 |
| ACT Composite | 26 | 28 | 31 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, University of Rhode Island received 25,391 applications and admitted 19,568 (77.1%), with 3,289 enrolling.
How University of Rhode Island compares
| University of Rhode Island | Rhode Island median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 72.2% | 70.2% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $16,942 | $44,418 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $69,743 | $70,005 | $53,781 |
Ten years out, University of Rhode Island's median earnings are $69,743 — below the Rhode Island benchmark of $70,005. Weigh that against the $16,942 price above; the by-major table shows majors drive much of this gap.
Cost, size & completion
As a public university, University of Rhode Island prices by residency: $16,942 in-state versus $37,146 out-of-state — a $20,204 gap that makes state lines part of the decision.
University of Rhode Island enrolls 13,381 undergraduates — mid-sized, with the trade-offs University of Rhode Island's scale implies: more programs than a small college, more anonymity too.
73.3% of University of Rhode Island students finish a bachelor's within six years — 18.4 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $16,942 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at University of Rhode Island
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $106,153 |
| Chemical Engineering | $103,525 |
| Computer Engineering | $100,975 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $96,532 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $96,020 |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $90,953 |
| Ocean Engineering | $90,901 |
| Industrial Engineering | $90,399 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $89,901 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $88,915 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $87,196 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $86,076 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | $80,478 |
| Biology, General | $80,379 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $79,692 |
| Civil Engineering | $79,457 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | $77,681 |
| Economics | $77,225 |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $77,224 |
| Marketing | $75,011 |
| Landscape Architecture | $74,488 |
| Mathematics | $73,746 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $72,328 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | $72,311 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $67,384 |
| Social Sciences, Other | $66,738 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $64,916 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $64,520 |
| Apparel and Textiles | $64,328 |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | $61,079 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | $60,922 |
| Political Science and Government | $60,559 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $59,964 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $56,999 |
| Health-Related Knowledge and Skills | $56,761 |
| Psychology, General | $56,571 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $54,524 |
| History | $54,001 |
| Sociology | $53,802 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $52,625 |
| Music | $52,346 |
| Journalism | $52,115 |
| Public Policy Analysis | $51,697 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $51,416 |
| Animal Sciences | $50,203 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $48,446 |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | $48,403 |
| Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management | $48,348 |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | $45,571 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $44,983 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $44,272 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $40,858 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $33,972 |
Median earnings for these 53 University of Rhode Island programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $69,743 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 25 additional University of Rhode Island programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for University of Rhode Island?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1030–1270 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 72.2% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is University of Rhode Island's acceptance rate?
77.1% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 19,568 admitted from 25,391 applicants.
How much does University of Rhode Island cost?
In-state tuition is $16,942; out-of-state students pay $37,146. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do University of Rhode Island graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $69,743 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Rhode Island
- Salve Regina University — 68.2% admitted
- New England Institute of Technology — 66.7% admitted
- Bryant University — 65.5% admitted
- Rhode Island School of Design — 18.7% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.