PROVIDENCE – Brown University once again is ranked by Smart Asset as having the best value for students in the state.
The sixth-annual Best Value Colleges in Rhode Island study combined several metrics into a college education value index, including scholarships, starting salary, tuition, living costs and retention rate.
Following Brown in the 2020 rankings were the University of Rhode Island and Providence College. Johnson & Wales University ranked lowest of the nine colleges in the study.
Nationwide, Massachusetts Institute of Technology ranked No. 1 overall in 2020, with an index value of 100, followed by California Institute of Technology at 89.94 and Harvey Mudd College at 88.94.
Brown University had an index value of 67.29:
- Students of the university had an average starting salary of $68,200
- Average scholarships and grants were $42,652
- College tuition was $53,419. Student living costs were $17,631
- Retention rate was 98%
URI ranked second highest in the state with an index value of 44.24.
- Average starting salary was $54,500.
- Average scholarships and grants were $10,243
- College tuition was $13,792 (The study used in-state tuition prices where applicable.)
- Student living costs were $15,693
- Student retention rate was 83%
Providence College ranked third in the state, with an index score of 43.69
- The average starting salary of a student was $58,900
- Average scholarships and grants were $27,336
- College tuition was $48,764
- Student living costs were $16,220
- Student retention rate was 93%
Other universities in the study:
- Bryant University ranked No. 4 with an index value of 41.62
- Rhode Island School of Design ranked No. 5 with an index value of 34.02
- Salve Regina University ranked No. 6 with an index value of 31.12
- Rhode Island College ranked No. 7 with an index value of 30.97
- Roger Williams University ranked No. 8 with an index value of 30.97
- Johnson & Wales University ranked No. 9 with an index value of 17.25
