University of Rhode Island
Kingston, RI
72.2%
Acceptance Rate
$16,942
Avg Cost (In-State)
$37,146
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
72.2%
Graduation Rate
13,381
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
February 1
Early Deadline
December 1 (Early Action)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
1
Application Fee
$65
Interview
Not required
Essays: Common Application personal essay required (250-650 words)
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$57,446
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$69,743
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
72%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $82,218 | $96,020 | 535 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $36,785 | $64,520 | 262 |
| Psychology, General. | $37,414 | $56,571 | 253 |
| Biology, General. | $45,846 | $80,379 | 143 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $55,160 | $79,692 | 140 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services. | $34,205 | $51,416 | 133 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | $70,724 | $89,901 | 130 |
| Health-Related Knowledge and Skills. | $35,907 | $56,761 | 126 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Calculate Your Cost at University of Rhode Island
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
URI Centennial Scholarship
$4,000-$15,000/year
universityTop URI incoming freshmen via automatic merit grid.
Deadline: December 15
Learn more ↗URI Presidential Scholarship
$10,000-$20,000/year
universityTop URI incoming freshmen via competitive process.
Deadline: December 15
Learn more ↗Rhode Island Promise Scholarship
Free 2 years at CCRI
stateRI HS grads enrolling at Community College of Rhode Island full-time immediately after graduation.
Deadline: By July 1 of grad year
Learn more ↗Brown Brown Promise (Need-Met No-Loan)
100% need met; no loans for any student (Brown Promise)
universityAll admitted Brown students with demonstrated need; loans replaced with grants.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗Bryant University Trustee Scholarship
$15,000-$25,000/year
universityTop Bryant incoming freshmen via competitive process.
Deadline: November 15
Learn more ↗Rhode Island Last Dollar Scholarship
Last-dollar at RI URI Hope Scholarship
stateRI HS grads in URI's Hope Scholarship cohort with continued financial need.
Deadline: URI aid office
Learn more ↗Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Diversity Scholarship
Up to full tuition
universityUnderrepresented RISD incoming freshmen with strong portfolio.
Deadline: February 1
Learn more ↗RISD Presidential Scholarship
$10,000-$25,000/year
universityTop RISD incoming freshmen with strong portfolio + academic record.
Deadline: February 1
Learn more ↗University of Rhode Island Centennial Scholarship
Up to full tuition + fees
universityTop URI incoming freshmen via competitive process.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 72.2% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Rolling Admissions
75%
acceptance
Rolling; priority Dec 1.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
22.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
22.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
47.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
17.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
16.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
84.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
71.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Considered
Visiting, attending info sessions and opening admissions emails meaningfully helps your chances. Track your touchpoints.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
University of Memphis
Memphis, TN
72% acceptance
Both admit around 72% of applicants, with 13k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
University of Maryland-Baltimore County
Baltimore, MD
72.4% acceptance
Both admit around 72% of applicants, with 11k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
71.5% acceptance
Both admit around 72% of applicants, with 21k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
CUNY New York City College of Technology
Brooklyn, NY
80.3% acceptance
Similar selectivity (80% vs 72%) but out-of-state cost runs $15k — meaningfully less than $37k.
CUNY Queens College
Queens, NY
64.4% acceptance
Similar selectivity (64% vs 72%) but out-of-state cost runs $15k — meaningfully less than $37k.
Central Connecticut State University
New Britain, CT
73.3% acceptance
Similar selectivity (73% vs 72%) but out-of-state cost runs $17k — meaningfully less than $37k.
Safer alternatives
Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania
Bloomsburg, PA
93.1% acceptance
Same r setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (93% vs 72%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Pennsylvania Western University
California, PA
94.3% acceptance
Same r setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (94% vs 72%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Transfer pathways
Routes in from a community college.
From RI community colleges
articulation onlyURI participates in the Joint Admissions Agreement with the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI), guaranteeing admission to URI for CCRI graduates who complete an AA/AS with a 2.5+ GPA. Selective majors (nursing, pharmacy, engineering) require higher GPAs. URI also accepts tr…
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