More selective than 22% of Rhode Island colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $61,950. College Scorecard.
Higher than 33% of Rhode Island colleges we cover and 76% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 56% of Rhode Island colleges we cover and 86% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
RWU acceptance rate & admissions
Of 8,238 applicants, Roger Williams University admitted 7,231 and 1,022 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1140–1310 on the SAT or 24–29 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
RWU tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What RWU costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Roger Williams University took 4.1 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Rhode Island. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $29,778 | $121,792 | 4.0 years |
| $30–48k | $30,087 | $123,056 | 4.0 years |
| $48–75k | $33,623 | $137,518 | 4.5 years |
| $75–110k | $37,318 | $152,631 | 5.0 years |
| $110k+ | $40,792 | $166,839 | 5.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (62% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($70,266) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in RI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $30,386 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
RWU majors, earnings & careers
Roger Williams University offers 71 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 13
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 11
- Engineering · 10
- Science & Math · 10
- Business & Finance · 9
- Arts & Design · 5
- Communications & Media · 4
- Health & Medicine · 4
- Technology & Computing · 3
- Education · 2
Highest-earning majors at RWU
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | $98,701 | $26,873 |
| Finance | $94,919 | $26,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $94,385 | $27,000 |
| Construction Management | $93,340 | $26,000 |
| Civil Engineering | $90,146 | — |
| Business Administration | $76,219 | $21,553 |
| Marketing | $71,989 | $26,698 |
| Biology | $71,652 | $27,000 |
Quick list of all 71 majors
- Accounting$98,701
- Agricultural Production Operations—
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)—
- Applied Mathematics—
- Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation—
- Architectural Sciences and Technology—
- Architecture$65,092
- Area Studies—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$71,652
- Business Administration$76,219
- Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other—
- Chemistry—
- Civil Engineering$90,146
- Classics—
- Communications$70,575
- Computer Engineering—
- Computer Science—
- Construction Engineering Technology / Technician—
- Construction Management$93,340
- Criminal Justice$70,747
- Cultural Studies / Critical Theory and Analysis—
- Dance—
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology$51,857
- Economics—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$52,114
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- Electrical Engineering—
- Engineering—
- English—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Finance$94,919
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Graphic Communications$61,887
- Health Administration—
- Historic Preservation and Conservation—
- History—
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians—
- Information Technology—
- International / Global Studies—
- International Business$67,621
- International Relations—
- Journalism—
- Legal Professions and Studies, Other$66,230
- Legal Studies / Paralegal—
- Legal Support Services$56,566
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Linguistics—
- Management Information Systems—
- Marketing$71,989
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering$94,385
- Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$63,405
- Psychology$57,212
- Public Administration—
- Public Health—
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Security / Homeland Security—
- Social Sciences—
- Sociology and Anthropology—
- Software and Media Applications—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art—
- Sustainability Studies—
- Theatre—
- Writing—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Criminal Justice → Police officer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Marketing → Marketing specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.0% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Providence
Overall prices in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,879. Housing costs 4% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 50 inches of rain a year, 38 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Bristol County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Bristol County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare RWU with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Rhode Island by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Williams University | 88% | $37,999 | 69% | $70,266 | This school |
| Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 88% | $31,027 | 55% | $43,418 | |
| Bryant University | 65% | $41,219 | 80% | $90,008 | |
| Salve Regina University | 68% | $36,967 | 77% | $72,975 | |
| New England Institute of Technology | 67% | $36,483 | 60% | $48,684 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Roger Williams University would cost you $6,972 more per year than Johnson & Wales University-Providence, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Roger Williams University, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$1,999).
- Johnson & Wales University-Providence gives aided families $5,336 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Rhode Island resident | RWU | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $44,418 | $42,419 | +$1,999 |
| Books & supplies | $900 | $1,200 | −$300 |
| Housing & meals | $16,690 | $18,776 | −$2,086 |
| Personal & travel | $3,350 | $1,758 | +$1,592 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,408 | −$3,839 | +$431 |
| Sticker price | $61,950 | $60,314 | +$1,636 |
| Average grants | −$23,951 | −$29,287 | +$5,336 |
| You pay | $37,999 | $31,027 | +$6,972 |
“+” means RWU costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about RWU
What is the RWU acceptance rate?
Roger Williams University accepts 88% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 7,231 of 8,238 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1140–1310 on the SAT or 24–29 on the ACT.
How much does Roger Williams University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $61,950 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $37,999 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $29,778 and families earning $110k+ pay $40,792.
How much do RWU graduates earn?
Former Roger Williams University students earn a median $70,266 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the RWU graduation rate?
69% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 81% return for their second year.
How long does a RWU degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Roger Williams University costs about $137,518 after grants ($33,623 a year for 4.1 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $70,266 ten years after starting, $30,386 more than high school graduates in Rhode Island ($39,880), so the cost is repaid in 4.5 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Roger Williams University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/roger-williams-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).