A Guide to Online Colleges in Rhode Island

Rhode Island or "Little Rhody" is known by many as the smallest state with the largest name. It's full official title is "The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. " Little Rhody — though small in physical size — packs a lot of history, tradition, and culture into one small state. From the Narragansett tribes to the colonial era — from the prison state of the mid 19th century to the renaissance in the 1990s — if this state could talk, it would tell you a story of triumph over turmoil. The marine culture is a big part of Rhode Island's heritage and is evidenced by the lighthouses that dot Block Island Sound and the Narragansett Bay. The state also shares some of its maritime border with New York and its portage. Rhode Island is also referred to as "The Ocean State" due to the fact that much of the state consists of large bays and sounds. Though small, the state has a total of over 400 miles of coastline. Rhode Island is home to the Narragansett Bay (named after the native local tribe), a town known as Newport — known for its famous mansions, accompanying yachting community, and its own flavor of local jazz — as well as Pawtucket which is often referred to as the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution. Providence, the state capital, experienced a Renaissance period in the 1990s with the addition of new parks, restorations, shops and restaurants. It is now known for its eclectic neighborhoods and safe clean streets. When locals are ready to leave, they are just an hour by train from Boston and two hours from New York City. This little state has big opportunities for all who inhabit it, and is a welcoming home to a diverse group of people.

In-state tuition is often applied to public schools offering online programs. Many online programs require some face-to-face time, or more numerous support services at their brick and mortar locations. Intensive study experiences — often on the weekends or in several week long bouts — enable many online students to accelerate their time until graduation. And students looking at online education can drastically expand their educational options if they also look to hybrid degrees (degrees where degrees can be taken partially, or mostly online). Finally, one of the most common stipulations in scholarships is that students be from a certain state or region, often more funds are available to students seeking degrees in-state.

Top Public Schools

Our top public school pick is also the state's flagship university, the University of Rhode Island. As you may have guessed, as a flagship university the programming at URI is broad, highly ranked, and makes a huge economic impact on the state. In fact, the University of Rhode Island is a land and sea-grant university and includes a number of research opportunities for undergraduates as well as graduates including a look at climate change and its effects on Rhode Island, Smart Cities, and other exciting and topical research. Online, there are three programs available including an RN to BSN, M.S. in cyber security and an M.S. in dietetics. Compared to other flagship universities, the University of Rhode Island is more affordable than average. We like URI not only for its affordability but high U.S. News ranking, economic impact, importance and relevance to the state of Rhode Island.

Top Private Schools

The majority of programs offering fantastic online options in the state of Rhode Island are private. Our number one and number two top choices are both private institutions: Salve Regina University and Johnson and Wales University. Students at both of these institutions benefit from small classroom sizes, high quality education, and a number of online options from which to choose. Salve Regina University offers 15 online master's degree programs and Johnson and Wales University offers a total of 12 degrees: 6 bachelor's and 6 master's degrees. Roger Williams University and the New England Institute of Technology are our other two picks for best private schools in the state, and we particularly like both that both institutions have good coverage of technical and liberal arts fields. Students at RWU may select from one of 7 online bachelor's degrees and NEIT offers a total of 8 degrees online: 4 bachelor's and 4 master's degrees in fields like automotive services, criminal justice, construction, and public health.

How to Become a Resident

Those who have established residency in the state of Rhode Island are offered a lower rate of tuition. As with most states, establishing domicile is part of the requirements to obtain residency and in turn a lower tuition rate. In-state status requires domicile which is defined by the state of Rhode Island as your permanent home and where you plan to return to after short periods away. In order to establish domicile, you must live and work in the State of Rhode Island for one full 12 month period. A residence of domicile established for the single purpose of attending a university does not qualify an individual for in-state status. You must have completed a full 12 month period to have established domicile. Those who apply before this period will not qualify. Student who have not reached the age of 18 will be presumed domiciles of his or her parents or legal guardian(s) and a dependent. Individuals who are independent or defined as receiving fewer than 50% of support from parents or guardians and are above the age of 18 must be working in the state of Rhode Island, paying taxes, and have documented proof of the 12 month domicile such as a signed lease agreement where your name is stated on the lease, proof of established utility services such as your electric bill, gas/heating bill, water bill, telephone bill, home/auto insurance and bank account statements as well as miscellaneous documentation like your vehicle registration, voter registration, and W-2 forms (from the previous tax year). Like most state universities, providing in-state tuition is truly reserved for those living in-state. Others who qualify include a student who has attended an approved Rhode Island high school for 3 or more years and continues to live in Rhode Island, those who qualify for federal GI Bill benefits, an active duty member of the spouse of dependent of an active duty member who has been on active duty for a period longer than 30 days.

In 2015-16 the average published tuition prices for Rhode Island public four-year universities was $9,123 for in-state tuition, which is close to the national average for public schools. That being said, there are only three public universities in the entire state and one subsidized by the federal government — the Naval War College. Though the average cost is closer to the national average, the main public university — URI's — annual in-state tuition rate is closer to $12,000 per year. Out-of-state participants pay more than twice the price at $28,800 per year! Some of the highest value schools are also our top picks for online options. The University of Rhode Island is one of the top schools in the nation and the region and has fantastic research opportunities. Though on average more costly than all public universities, when it comes to flagship universities, URI is more affordable than comparative flagships in other states. Rhode Island is certainly home to many more private institutions where the average cost for tuition is about $4,000 above the national cost for private institutions. However, those who choose to study online should factor in an average savings of $15,000 per year on the cost of room and board. That means $60,000 dollars in savings for four-year degree programs. Other expenses that many parent students save on is child care. In fact, the cost of childcare for parents in many states is the same as tuition! In Rhode Island, the cost of child per year is the same as one year of tuition at the University of Rhode Island and often times even more. Student-parents who study online minimize the need for child care and have the potential to save an additional $60,000 or more. In-state parents studying online at public institutions save on average $120,000! For many individuals this is not a pinching pennies choice — these dollar amounts make a significant impact on the individual students and their livelihoods. For all students, and particularly for parent students, there's definitely something to be said for staying in-state for school in Rhode Island. Providence is the capital of Rhode Island and is the most populous city in the state. Providence has recently experienced a renaissance period and is filled with new parks, a plethora of restaurants and shops, and eclectic neighborhoods to match. Originally home to the Narragansett Native Americans, and later settled by an exiled Massachusetts residence, Providence has a very colorful and dramatic past which can still be seen in many forms today. Benefit street and the surrounding area serve almost as a walkable museum featuring a number of colonial homes and buildings. College Hill is home to Brown University, the Providence Athanaeum, the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Prospect Terrace Park, and Shakespeare's Head. Federal Hill is another one of Providence's many eclectic neighborhoods that showcases its unique residents and is known specifically for its Italian heritage. Across the bridge is East Providence and home to an entirely different group of locals — a part of town where you'll see fewer tourists and hear more of that famous New England accent. Each neighborhood is unique in its own way which makes up so much of Providence's charm. Needless to say, walking the city and enjoying its beauty street by street is one of locals' favorite activities. Finding a parking spot is comically a fear for most locals and so walking is often preferred to driving. Of course Providence is also a fantastic place to work. Once a town known for its marine industry then later its jewelry making industry, today, Providence's most prominent industries include manufacturing, healthcare, and retail. When locals want to get away they have easy access to Newport, Boston, and New York City.

Just an hour outside of Providence by train is Boston. Boston is the largest city in New England and part of the Greater Boston Combined Statistical Area (CSA) which includes Providence, Worcester and Manchester. Boston has had significant influence on American history and industry and is a part of one of the top 10 largest regions for business impact in the country. Higher education is one of the major areas where Boston has made an impact as it is home to phenomenal institutions like Boston University, Harvard, MIT, and Boston Tech. Boston is known for its collection of distinct neighborhoods that really do show its great diversity as as city. r Dorchester which is considered one of the most diverse, Chinatown is known in part for food, Beacon Hill is known for historic buildings and state government, and Back Bay is known for upscale dining and shopping. Cambridge, home of Harvard is integrated with the Boston and provides further cultural enrichment opportunities. Perhaps one of Boston's better-known industries is sports as Boston and New England are known for their die-hard fandom in a number of professional sports areas. Whether there as a student, a fan, or a professional, Boston is an exciting city that offers great opportunity for all.

Hartford is the capital of Connecticut located about an hour and 30 minutes West of Providence. Located just under 25 miles from Springfield, Massachusetts, Hartford is part of something known as the Knowledge Corridor. The Knowledge Corridor gets its name due to the high concentration of colleges and universities located along this part of New England. In fact, it falls only second behind the Greater Boston area. There are 30 colleges in this corridor alone. Academia and high culture often go hand-in-hand. Hartford is filled with museums, galleries, theaters, music centers, civic centers, a science center and more. It is also the home of the Connecticut State Library, and several other historical attractions including Mark Twain's home. In addition to culture and historical landmarks, there are several unique food and shopping options in Hartford. Between Hartford and Springfield there are 10 schools with fantastic online options.

The Best Online Colleges in Rhode Island

Monitoring the accreditation of a university you are interested in attending is incredibly important. Accreditation ensures your credits can transfer that you can receive Federal financial aid, and most importantly that certain standards of educational quality are during your schooling. The highest accreditation standard for most programs in the United States is provided by regional accreditation agencies. The regional accrediting agency for Rhode Island is the New England Association of Schools and Colleges , one of six regional accrediting agencies responsible for accrediting schools in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Making sure that a University you're hoping to attend is regionally accredited — or accredited by a real and respected accrediting agency — is one of the most important choices you can make in ensuring the quality of your education.

Three Steps for Securing Financial Aid

Through the previous three steps most students find themselves offered some sort of federal grant, work study, private grant, scholarship, or stipend.

Great Rhode Island Higher Education Resources