These Are The Best Colleges In Rhode Island: WalletHub

The coronavirus pandemic has forced colleges and universities to change their approach to learning on a dime, adapting to online learning and reduced students on campus. While it sometimes feels like time is standing still during the pandemic, life goes on, and the first early-decision college application deadlines are fast approaching on Nov. 1. Ahead of that date, personal finance website WalletHub released a ranking of the best colleges and universities in each state.

Of the top four schools, three are in Providence, and the ranking is evenly split between public and private schools. The ranking is as follows.

1. Brown University
2. Providence College
3. University of Rhode Island
4. Rhode Island College

To determine the ranking, WalletHub considered 30 indicators across seven categories, including student selectivity, career outcomes and cost. Brown University came in first in nearly every category in Rhode Island, leading to its overall first-place finish. The ranking for the top three schools, by category, is listed below.

Brown University

• 1st – Admission Rate
• 4th – Net Cost
• 1st – Student-Faculty Ratio
• 3rd – On-Campus Crime
• 1st – Gender & Racial Diversity
• 1st – Graduation Rate
• 1st – Post-Attendance Median Salary

Providence College

• 2nd – Admission Rate
• 3rd – Net Cost
• 2nd – Student-Faculty Ratio
• 4th – On-Campus Crime
• 4th – Gender & Racial Diversity
• 2nd – Graduation Rate
• 2nd – Post-Attendance Median Salary

University of Rhode Island

• 3rd – Admission Rate
• 2nd – Net Cost
• 4th – Student-Faculty Ratio
• 1st – On-Campus Crime
• 3rd – Gender & Racial Diversity
• 3rd – Graduation Rate
• 3rd – Post-Attendance Median Salary

Nationwide, the top three schools in the ranking are in New England: Harvard University, Yale University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, respectively.

Robert Toutkoushian, a professor at the University of Georgia, said it's important for colleges and universities to find new ways to connect with students during the coronavirus pandemic.

"With the pandemic still playing havoc on colleges and universities, many students are likely struggling to get good information and make informed college decisions," he said. "Colleges should consider finding new ways to help students learn about where they can get more financial aid, how to choose a major and look for a job, etc. In the past, students would get much of this information from talking to each other, but with limited interactions, this becomes more difficult."

See the full report on WalletHub's website.