List of Private Universities & Colleges in Rhode Island

Rhode Island is the single most densely populated state in the nation despite the diminutive land mass of only 1,214 square miles. In terms of population, it is the 43^rd most populated state with the state capital of Providence being the largest city. Rhode Island is home to a handful of private universities and colleges to explore. The schools range from Providence to Bristol and from Newport to East Greenwich. Top ranked private colleges in Rhode Island include Brown University, New England Tech, and Johnson & Wales University. Private universities in Rhode Island that have garnered national attention for their robust academics and laudable campus life. Get connected with the best private schools in Rhode Island by using MatchCollege and our myriad educational resources today. Invest in yourself and connect with private universities that support your personal goals and career objectives today.

Popular Degrees at Rhode Island Private Colleges

Private colleges are distinguished from a public school in the respect that they do not accept public funding. A private college will generally have a smaller campus and lower student enrollment compared to a public university. The smaller campus typically translates to a more intimate campus feel with lower student to teacher ratios & ready-access to faculty. Private colleges may be more liberal arts driven or focused on differing learning domains. For example, students enrolled at a private college may be interested in nursing, teaching, business, public policy, engineering, or computer science. While other students may be inclined to pursue an emerging area of study like toxicology, forensic science, data modeling, actuarial science, or nuclear medicine.

List of Large 4-Year Private Universities in Rhode Island

There are 7 large private universities in our database for Rhode Island. Follow the links below to get more details about each school.

Large Universities with Research Facilities or Faculty

The universities listed below offer many diverse academic programs, have a large student body, and usually have research facilities or faculty involved with research. These schools very often have graduate and professional programs as well.

Large Primarily Academic Universities

Each university listed below offers a diverse set of degrees and programs, unlike the research universities listed above, these schools contain little to no research activity on campus and are primarily academic.

• Bryant University in Smithfield, RI
• Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI
• New England Institute of Technology (New England Tech) in East Greenwich, RI
• Providence College in Providence, RI
• Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI
• Salve Regina University in Newport, RI

4-Year Colleges with a Special Focus on an Area of Study

The schools below are grouped by their special area of focus. To learn about admissions, tuition & fees, programs offered, and more click on the school names below.

Schools of Art, Music, and Design

• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in Providence, RI

Notes: Tuition & fee amounts are for both Rhode Island in-state residents and out of state students, unless noted otherwise. The tuition information displayed is an estimate, which we calculated based on historical data and should be solely used for informational purposes only. Please contact the respective school for information about the current school year.

Source: IPEDS Survey 2012-2015: Data obtained from the US Dept. of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Data may vary depending on school and academic year.