State cost ranking · DOE College Scorecard

Cheapest Colleges in Rhode Island

Rhode Island's median net price sits 50% above the national Scorecard median; even so, Community College of Rhode Island is the lowest reporter here at $6,513 among 19 schools.

$6,513
Cheapest net price
$25,666
Rhode Island median
19
Schools ranked

Community College of Rhode Island has the lowest average net price in Rhode Island among Scorecard reporters

According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, Community College of Rhode Island posts the lowest average net price in Rhode Island at $6,513 among 19 ranked schools, with the state median 50% above the $17,124 national median. Net price is what students paid after grant aid, not sticker tuition, and can reflect a narrow enrollment mix at specialty schools.

Data source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard

Cheapest net price
$6,513
Rhode Island median
$25,666
Schools ranked
19
National median
$17,124

Data updated August 2026 · IPEDS 2022–23 vintage

The list in one line

Community College of Rhode Island has the lowest average net price in Rhode Island at $6,513/year, and the state's median net price is 50% above the $17,124 national median across 4,965 schools.

$6,513
cheapest ranked net price
$25,666
Rhode Island median net price
3 public / 16 private
schools in this ranking
$21,537
avg net price, <$30K income families

Average net price blends every income bracket; families under $30k average $21,537 here. Loans are excluded, open a school profile for the bracket table before treating one average as a personal cost.

Sticker tuition and real net price diverge most at Brown University, where in-state published tuition of $71,412 falls to an average net price of $25,184 after aid, a $46,228 gap, the widest sticker-to-net gap among ranked Rhode Island schools.

Private campuses outnumber public ones here (16 vs 3). A low figure at a small religious or specialty school can reflect a narrow enrollment mix, check sector and enrollment beside the price.

Every ranked Rhode Island school is listed below. Here is how their average net prices spread:

Rhode Island net-price distribution

Average net price after aid · 19 Scorecard-reporting schools

$50,507 more affordable than 0% of 19 Rhode Island colleges

Show national distribution $0–$6,000: 0 Rhode Island colleges (0%). Below this entry. $6,000–$12,000: 2 Rhode Island colleges (11%). Below this entry. $12,000–$18,000: 1 Rhode Island colleges (5%). Below this entry. $18,000–$24,000: 5 Rhode Island colleges (26%). Below this entry. $24,000–$30,000: 3 Rhode Island colleges (16%). Below this entry. $30,000–$36,000: 2 Rhode Island colleges (11%). Below this entry. $36,000–$42,000: 4 Rhode Island colleges (21%). Below this entry. $42,000–$48,000: 0 Rhode Island colleges (0%). Below this entry. $48,000–$54,000: 2 Rhode Island colleges (11%). This entry sits in this band. State median band $0 $54,000 every ranked Rhode Island college, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $6K-wide band; taller bars hold more Rhode Island colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · 2022–23

Rhode Island's 19 cheapest colleges by real net price

1
Community College of Rhode Island Warwick, RI · Public
Avg net price
$6,513
Net price (<$30K income)
$6,213
Median debt
$10,920
Median earnings, 6yr
$33,476
Enrollment
12,275
2
Rhode Island College Providence, RI · Public
Avg net price
$9,478
Net price (<$30K income)
$6,378
Median debt
$20,500
Median earnings, 6yr
$46,882
Enrollment
6,155
4
COLLECTIV Academy-Cranston Cranston, RI · Private for-profit
Avg net price
$20,151
Net price (<$30K income)
$19,918
Median debt
$11,000
Median earnings, 6yr
-
Enrollment
102
5
IYRS School of Technology & Trades Newport, RI · Private nonprofit
Avg net price
$20,525
Net price (<$30K income)
$20,525
Median debt
$9,500
Median earnings, 6yr
$47,009
Enrollment
68
6
College Unbound Providence, RI · Private nonprofit
Avg net price
$21,108
Net price (<$30K income)
$20,682
Median debt
$12,500
Median earnings, 6yr
-
Enrollment
494
7
University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI · Public
Avg net price
$21,440
Net price (<$30K income)
$14,368
Median debt
$22,250
Median earnings, 6yr
$57,446
Enrollment
17,210
8
Empire Beauty School-Warwick Providence, RI · Private for-profit
Avg net price
$22,794
Net price (<$30K income)
$21,673
Median debt
$10,231
Median earnings, 6yr
$21,743
Enrollment
107
9
Brown University Providence, RI · Private nonprofit
Avg net price
$25,184
Net price (<$30K income)
Aid covers full cost
Median debt
$11,428
Median earnings, 6yr
$79,131
Enrollment
11,956
10
Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island Cranston, RI · Private for-profit
Avg net price
$25,666
Net price (<$30K income)
$25,799
Median debt
$13,000
Median earnings, 6yr
$23,724
Enrollment
181
11
Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln Lincoln, RI · Private for-profit
Avg net price
$27,578
Net price (<$30K income)
$26,742
Median debt
$10,521
Median earnings, 6yr
$32,694
Enrollment
659
12
MotoRing Technical Training Institute East Providence, RI · Private for-profit
Avg net price
$30,141
Net price (<$30K income)
$27,392
Median debt
$9,500
Median earnings, 6yr
$42,100
Enrollment
124
13
Johnson & Wales University-Providence Providence, RI · Private nonprofit
Avg net price
$31,027
Net price (<$30K income)
$25,530
Median debt
$26,000
Median earnings, 6yr
$35,802
Enrollment
4,303
14
New England Institute of Technology East Greenwich, RI · Private nonprofit
Avg net price
$36,483
Net price (<$30K income)
$32,208
Median debt
$16,668
Median earnings, 6yr
$44,363
Enrollment
1,922
15
Salve Regina University Newport, RI · Private nonprofit
Avg net price
$36,967
Net price (<$30K income)
$26,939
Median debt
$27,000
Median earnings, 6yr
$55,027
Enrollment
2,791
16
Roger Williams University Bristol, RI · Private nonprofit
Avg net price
$37,999
Net price (<$30K income)
$29,778
Median debt
$26,940
Median earnings, 6yr
$53,845
Enrollment
4,350
17
Bryant University Smithfield, RI · Private nonprofit
Avg net price
$41,219
Net price (<$30K income)
$32,698
Median debt
$26,849
Median earnings, 6yr
$66,488
Enrollment
3,636
18
Providence College Providence, RI · Private nonprofit
Avg net price
$48,523
Net price (<$30K income)
$28,152
Median debt
$27,000
Median earnings, 6yr
$69,326
Enrollment
4,666
19
Rhode Island School of Design Providence, RI · Private nonprofit
Avg net price
$50,507
Net price (<$30K income)
$29,135
Median debt
$27,000
Median earnings, 6yr
$45,932
Enrollment
2,520
# College Avg net priceNet price (<$30K income)Median debtMedian earnings, 6yrEnrollment
1 Community College of Rhode Island Warwick, RI · Public $6,513 87% of the leader · rank #1 $6,213 $10,920 $33,476 12,275
2 Rhode Island College Providence, RI · Public $9,478 81% of the leader · rank #2 $6,378 $20,500 $46,882 6,155
3 New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island Pawtucket, RI · Private for-profit $15,866 69% of the leader · rank #3 $15,495 $6,333 $51,037 646
4 COLLECTIV Academy-Cranston Cranston, RI · Private for-profit $20,151 60% of the leader · rank #4 $19,918 $11,000 - 102
5 IYRS School of Technology & Trades Newport, RI · Private nonprofit $20,525 59% of the leader · rank #5 $20,525 $9,500 $47,009 68
6 College Unbound Providence, RI · Private nonprofit $21,108 58% of the leader · rank #6 $20,682 $12,500 - 494
7 University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI · Public $21,440 58% of the leader · rank #7 $14,368 $22,250 $57,446 17,210
8 Empire Beauty School-Warwick Providence, RI · Private for-profit $22,794 55% of the leader · rank #8 $21,673 $10,231 $21,743 107
9 Brown University Providence, RI · Private nonprofit $25,184 50% of the leader · rank #9 Aid covers full cost $11,428 $79,131 11,956
10 Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island Cranston, RI · Private for-profit $25,666 49% of the leader · rank #10 $25,799 $13,000 $23,724 181
11 Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln Lincoln, RI · Private for-profit $27,578 45% of the leader · rank #11 $26,742 $10,521 $32,694 659
12 MotoRing Technical Training Institute East Providence, RI · Private for-profit $30,141 40% of the leader · rank #12 $27,392 $9,500 $42,100 124
13 Johnson & Wales University-Providence Providence, RI · Private nonprofit $31,027 39% of the leader · rank #13 $25,530 $26,000 $35,802 4,303
14 New England Institute of Technology East Greenwich, RI · Private nonprofit $36,483 28% of the leader · rank #14 $32,208 $16,668 $44,363 1,922
15 Salve Regina University Newport, RI · Private nonprofit $36,967 27% of the leader · rank #15 $26,939 $27,000 $55,027 2,791
16 Roger Williams University Bristol, RI · Private nonprofit $37,999 25% of the leader · rank #16 $29,778 $26,940 $53,845 4,350
17 Bryant University Smithfield, RI · Private nonprofit $41,219 18% of the leader · rank #17 $32,698 $26,849 $66,488 3,636
18 Providence College Providence, RI · Private nonprofit $48,523 4% of the leader · rank #18 $28,152 $27,000 $69,326 4,666
19 Rhode Island School of Design Providence, RI · Private nonprofit $50,507 4% of the leader · rank #19 $29,135 $27,000 $45,932 2,520

Related

All 51 states → | Rhode Island campus safety → | Find your school's rank → | Methodology →

What this means for you

Use Rhode Island's ranking as a starting point, real net price depends on your specific financial-aid package.

  • Community College of Rhode Island reports the lowest average net price in Rhode Island, but "average" blends every income bracket, check your bracket's figure before assuming it applies to you. View Community College of
  • See your specific school's in-state cost rank and nearest-price peers. My School Profile
  • Compare campus safety alongside cost before deciding. Rhode Island safety

Figures reflect the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23 release.

Average net price = the institution-reported average amount students actually paid after all grant and scholarship aid, excluding loans. Only schools with a reported average net price in the DOE College Scorecard dataset are ranked. This page lists the 19 cheapest; the title count is the full Scorecard-reporting cohort for Rhode Island. Schools with fewer than 10 net-price-reporting institutions in a state or territory are not given a dedicated ranking page.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Every ranked figure on this page is queried directly from the DOE College Scorecard dataset at request time; no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.