Why This Matters

  • 2 TWO-YEAR ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS IN RHODE ISLAND

    According to College Navigator, there are two institutions in Rhode Island that offer two-year associate degree programs.

  • $5,090 AVERAGE IN-DISTRICT TUITION & FEES

    College Board estimates that, during the 2022-23 school year, the average Rhode Island resident paid approximately $5,090 in tuition at in-district community colleges.

  • 80.6% OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS RECEIVED FINANCIAL AID

    452,493 students enrolled in two-year institutions in the United States received financial aid during the 2019-20 school year. Aid opportunities include scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study opportunities.

Our Research

This list features some of the best community colleges in Rhode Island. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary institutions. We included small, midsize, and large colleges as well as trade, technical, and vocational programs. Next, we compared this comprehensive list to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like the U.S. News & World Report among others to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.

The colleges on our list are accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), a reputable organization that examines objectives, quality and overall effectiveness of education programs in the northeastern United States.

We evaluated each school on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the student resources provided for students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

The Top 2 Community Colleges in Rhode Island

Best Community Colleges In Rhode Island Badge 2023
01
Intelligent Pick
Community College of Rhode Island
01
Best for Hands-on Learning
New England Institute of Technology

What You Should Know About Graduating From Community College in Rhode Island

One of the most important factors to consider when researching community colleges is your earning potential. In 2021, the highest paying careers for associate degree holders living in Rhode Island were funeral home managers, nuclear medicine technologists, radiation therapists, diagnostic medical sonographers, and magnetic resonance imaging technologists.

After receiving an associate degree, most students enter the workforce. The top five careers with the most job openings in Rhode Island are paralegals and legal assistants, preschool teachers, computer network support specialists, dental hygienists, and physical therapy assistants.

In addition to reviewing jobs with high employment rates, you should take into account which occupations are projected to have low employment rates. Jobs expected to have the greatest decline for associate degree holders in Rhode Island are mechanical drafters, calibration technologists, and dietetic technicians.

What’s Next?

While researching community colleges in Rhode Island, you should take into account the costs of higher education. This list features federal and state resources that connect associate degree students to scholarships, grants, and financial aid opportunities in Rhode Island.

  • Rhode Island Department of Education. The Rhode Island Department of Education helps students find scholarships by offering information about state loan programs and eligibility requirements.
  • Federal Student Aid. Every year, the U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid provides over $120 billion in scholarships, grants, loans, and other forms of financial aid. Students can check their eligibility at the FAFSA4caster and apply with the online FAFSA form.
  • CareerOneStop. Sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, CareerOneStop offers information about the scholarships available in each state. Students can easily navigate these scholarships by filtering this information by degree level and state. The site also provides details about award amounts, qualification requirements, application deadlines, and contact information.