The University of Rhode Island has been named the top public university in New England and the 35th-best public university in the nation, according to the Wall Street Journal’s latest college rankings.
The WSJ/College Pulse 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S. ranks the top 500 universities across the country. URI placed 84th overall, 15 spots ahead of the University of Connecticut, which ranked 99th. These two schools were the only public universities in New England to crack the top 100.
“This ranking reflects our values,” said URI President Marc Parlange. “URI makes a difference in people’s lives, and that’s what this ranking recognizes. We are committed to providing broad access to high-quality education and ensuring our students have the support and resources they need to succeed.”
The ranking evaluates how well colleges prepare students for career and financial success, student satisfaction, and the overall value of the education in the context of rising tuition costs. It factors in elements like graduation rates and post-college earnings alongside feedback from students.
More than 90% of URI graduates are employed or pursuing advanced degrees within six months of graduation, according to a survey of recent alumni. This strong career outcome helped URI rank 12th nationally among public flagship universities.
The University is seeing record interest as well, with 26,900 first-year applications for fall 2024, marking an all-time high. A diverse student body of more than 17,000 includes 3,100 new undergraduates, over 500 transfer students, and more than 2,000 graduate students.
Financial aid remains a key priority, with over 89% of students receiving assistance. This year, URI’s financial aid support reached a record $150 million.
The WSJ/College Pulse ranking assesses colleges on three main categories: student outcomes (70%), learning environment (20%), and diversity (10%). Outcomes include factors like salary impact, time to pay off student loans, and graduation rates.
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