Universities in Rhode Island
Rhode Island has 21 postsecondary institutions reporting to the U.S. Department of Education: 3 public, 12 private nonprofit, 6 for-profit, together enrolling about 62,567 undergraduates (2024-25 data). Each links to a full financial-health and student-outcomes profile.
| # | Institution | Sector | Undergrads |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Rhode IslandKingston · R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production | Public | 13,381 |
| 2 | Community College of Rhode IslandWarwick · Mixed Associate Medium | Public | 11,171 |
| 3 | Brown UniversityProvidence · R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production | Private | 7,226 |
| 4 | Rhode Island CollegeProvidence · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Large/Medium | Public | 5,049 |
| 5 | Providence CollegeProvidence · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Large/Medium | Private | 4,229 |
| 6 | Roger Williams UniversityBristol · Professions-focused Baccalaureate Medium | Private | 3,946 |
| 7 | Johnson & Wales University-ProvidenceProvidence · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Large/Medium | Private | 3,868 |
| 8 | Bryant UniversitySmithfield · Special Focus: Business | Private | 3,194 |
| 9 | Johnson & Wales University-OnlineProvidence · Special Focus: Business | Private | 2,202 |
| 10 | Salve Regina UniversityNewport · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Small | Private | 2,121 |
| 11 | Rhode Island School of DesignProvidence · Special Focus: Arts, Music, and Design | Private | 2,084 |
| 12 | New England Institute of TechnologyEast Greenwich · Special Focus: Applied and Career Studies | Private | 1,718 |
| 13 | Lincoln Technical Institute-LincolnLincoln · Two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 659 |
| 14 | New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode IslandPawtucket · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 646 |
| 15 | College UnboundProvidence · Special Focus: Arts and Sciences | Private | 491 |
| 16 | Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode IslandCranston · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 181 |
| 17 | MotoRing Technical Training InstituteEast Providence · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 124 |
| 18 | Empire Beauty School-WarwickProvidence · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 107 |
| 19 | COLLECTIV Academy-CranstonCranston · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 102 |
| 20 | IYRS School of Technology & TradesNewport · Two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private | 68 |
| 21 | Roger Williams University School of LawBristol · Special Focus: Law | Private | – |
This is a directory, not a ranking, listed by undergraduate enrollment. Counts and figures come from the most recent College Scorecard & IPEDS release (2024-25), which lags the current academic year by 2–3 years. Open each institution’s profile for financial health, outcomes and peer benchmarks.
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Frequently asked
How many colleges and universities are in Rhode Island?
21 postsecondary institutions in Rhode Island report to the U.S. Department of Education: 3 public, 12 private nonprofit, 6 for-profit. Together they enroll about 62,567 undergraduates (2024-25 data).
Which Rhode Island college enrolls the most undergraduates?
University of Rhode Island in Kingston, with about 13,381 undergraduates (2024-25 data). It is the largest of the 21 institutions listed on this page by undergraduate enrollment.
Where does this Rhode Island college data come from?
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS collections, most recent release (2024-25). Every figure is federal, published and free to check. Nothing on this page is estimated or AI-generated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard & IPEDS (most recent release, 2024-25). Compiled by Ibex Insights. See the methodology.