University of Rhode Island Ranked No. 1 Public University in New England – cgnews24 News
Wall Street Journal College Rankings: The University of Rhode Island (URI) has earned a top spot in the 2025 Wall Street Journal (WSJ) College Rankings. URI is ranked the No. 1 public university in New England and the 35th-best public university in the entire United States. This impressive ranking shows how well URI is doing in providing quality education to its students.
URI Ranked Among the Best in the Nation
In the WSJ/College Pulse 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S. ranking, URI was placed 84th overall out of 500 universities in the country. It is also the highest-ranked public university in New England, ahead of the University of Connecticut, which came in at No. 99.
These rankings highlight the strength of URI’s academic programs and its commitment to helping students succeed in their careers. URI President Marc Parlange expressed his pride in the ranking, saying, “This ranking reflects our values. URI makes a difference in people’s lives, and that’s what this ranking recognizes.” He also mentioned that the university is dedicated to providing students with the support and resources they need to succeed.
What the WSJ Rankings Focus On
The Wall Street Journal rankings focus on how well colleges prepare students for future success. This includes factors like career readiness, student satisfaction, and how colleges help students manage the cost of tuition. One important part of the ranking is how much a school improves students’ chances of graduating and earning a good salary after college.
At URI, more than 90% of graduates are either employed or pursuing graduate studies within six months of finishing their degree. This high rate of success shows that URI is helping students prepare for life after graduation, which is a big reason for its top ranking in the WSJ list.
Student Success and Growth at URI
URI has seen record growth in recent years. In 2024, the university received an all-time high of 26,900 first-year undergraduate applications for the fall semester. This shows just how popular URI has become as more students see it as a great place to start their college education. In addition to the record number of applications, URI welcomed around 3,100 new first-year students, more than 500 transfer students, and over 2,000 new graduate students this year.
The total student body at URI is now more than 17,000 strong. This includes undergraduate, transfer, and graduate students, making URI a thriving center of learning and research in New England.
Financial Aid Support at an All-Time High
One of the reasons URI is so successful is its commitment to making education affordable. More than 89% of URI students receive some form of financial aid. In 2024, the amount of financial aid provided by the university reached a record high of more than $150 million. This financial support helps students afford their education and reduces the burden of student loans.
How the WSJ Rankings Are Developed
The WSJ/College Pulse 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S. ranking was created with the help of research partners College Pulse and Statista. The rankings are based on three key factors:
- Student outcomes (70%): This includes factors like the impact of a student’s degree on their salary, how long it takes to pay off college costs, and the graduation rate.
- Learning environment (20%): This measures the quality of education and campus life.
- Diversity (10%): This looks at how diverse the student body is, which gives students opportunities to learn from people with different backgrounds.
