Graduates of Rhode Island College earn median earnings of $59,430 four years after enrollment, placing Rhode Island College in the 44.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $56,249 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $8,780 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 84.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures still represent lifetime returns relative to RI's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $36,082 — the state median earnings of working adults without a college credential. The program mix at Rhode Island College is anchored in Health, which accounts for 13% of degrees, followed by Education at 11% and Arts at 6%. Nursing combines meaningful cohort scale with solid earnings, making it a notable contributor to the institution's overall return profile. Azimuth ranks Nursing #238 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 151 graduates earning median earnings of $83,068. The Psychology, General program graduates 144 students with median earnings of $52,758, and Azimuth ranks Social Work #63 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 101 graduates earning median earnings of $53,312.
Graduates of Rhode Island College earn median earnings of $59,430 four years after enrollment, placing Rhode Island College in the 44.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $56,249 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $8,780 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 84.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures still represent lifetime returns relative to RI's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $36,082 — the state median earnings of working adults without a college credential. The program mix at Rhode Island College is anchored in Health, which accounts for 13% of degrees, followed by Education at 11% and Arts at 6%. Nursing combines meaningful cohort scale with solid earnings, making it a notable contributor to the institution's overall return profile. Azimuth ranks Nursing #238 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 151 graduates earning median earnings of $83,068. The Psychology, General program graduates 144 students with median earnings of $52,758, and Azimuth ranks Social Work #63 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 101 graduates earning median earnings of $53,312.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Graduates of Rhode Island College earn median earnings of $59,430 four years after enrollment, placing Rhode Island College in the 44.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $56,249 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $8,780 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 84.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures still represent lifetime returns relative to RI's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $36,082 — the state median earnings of working adults without a college credential. The program mix at Rhode Island College is anchored in Health, which accounts for 13% of degrees, followed by Education at 11% and Arts at 6%. Nursing combines meaningful cohort scale with solid earnings, making it a notable contributor to the institution's overall return profile. Azimuth ranks Nursing #238 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 151 graduates earning median earnings of $83,068. The Psychology, General program graduates 144 students with median earnings of $52,758, and Azimuth ranks Social Work #63 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 101 graduates earning median earnings of $53,312.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
Rhode Island College's program mix is anchored in Health, with substantial enrollment in education and social-science fields — a portfolio shaped by the institution's role as Rhode Island's public comprehensive college and a major pipeline for the state's healthcare and teaching workforce. Nursing is the largest program with 151 graduates, followed by Psychology, General, Social Work, Teacher Education, and Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General. Across 39 programs serving roughly 1,269 students annually, 28 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold. The concentration in health and education reflects a local-labor orientation: graduates in these fields typically stay in-region, filling roles in hospitals, school districts, and community organizations. The strongest earnings outcomes cluster in health-related programs. Computer Science leads with median 4-year earnings of $83,259 from a cohort of 44 graduates, and Azimuth ranks the program #159 among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology. Nursing follows with 151 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $83,068, and Azimuth ranks it #238 among nonprofit four-year institutions. The Accounting program graduates 50 students with median 4-year earnings of $68,616, and Azimuth ranks the program #224 among nonprofit four-year institutions. These nursing and health programs form the financial backbone of Rhode Island College's degree output, combining steady regional demand with earnings that outpace most other fields at the institution. Several of Rhode Island College's largest programs — including Social Work and Teacher Education — are fields where a meaningful share of graduates continue to graduate school, meaning four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory. The health programs, by contrast, are direct-to-workforce pathways where four-year earnings reflect actual labor-market outcomes in Rhode Island's healthcare sector. The supply-demand map provides context for how these program families align with national and regional hiring demand.
Lower quartile, 10-year field
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of Rhode Island College earn median earnings of $59,430 four years after enrollment, placing Rhode Island College in the 44.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $56,249 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $8,780 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 84.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures still represent lifetime returns relative to RI's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $36,082 — the state median earnings of working adults without a college credential. The program mix at Rhode Island College is anchored in Health, which accounts for 13% of degrees, followed by Education at 11% and Arts at 6%. Nursing combines meaningful cohort scale with solid earnings, making it a notable contributor to the institution's overall return profile. Azimuth ranks Nursing #238 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 151 graduates earning median earnings of $83,068. The Psychology, General program graduates 144 students with median earnings of $52,758, and Azimuth ranks Social Work #63 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 101 graduates earning median earnings of $53,312.
