Forbes released its list of the top 500 colleges. These RI ones made the cut.

Forbes just released their annual list of America’s top colleges, and five schools in Rhode Island made the list.

Forbes’ list highlights the 500 American colleges that offer the best outcomes in education, finances and careers for all students according to their calculations.

Schools are ranked using 14 different metrics, including:

• Retention rate
• Graduation rate
• Alumni success
• Alumni salary
• Debt

While some rankings are the same as last year, such as Princeton University taking the No. 1 spot, there was some movement. Twice as many Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) made the top 500, according to Forbes, and schools with higher admission rates climbed up the rankings.

Out of the 500 schools ranked, five are Rhode Island schools, including one in the top 20. See exactly where these five Rhode Island schools placed below.

Which of Forbes’ top 500 colleges are in Rhode Island?

Here are the five Rhode Island colleges that made it on the Forbes 2024-2025 top colleges list, in order of lowest to highest ranking.

Providence College

Providence College ranked 318th out of 500. Just five minutes from the downtown area of Providence, this private Catholic school is known for its vibrant social environment and basketball program.

University of Rhode Island (URI)

The biggest state school in Rhode Island came in 315th place. Located in Kingston a few miles away from beautiful Rhode Island beaches, URI features a lively student community and state-of-the-art research facilities.

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Bryant University

A small private school in Smithfield, Bryant University places 261st. The college is highly regarded for its business-focused education, requiring all students to major or minor in both the College of Arts and Sciences and College of Business.

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)

RISD, one of the first art and design schools in the country, ranked 208th. This selective, creative school is located alongside the Providence River in the city.

Brown University

Taking the highest rank for a Rhode Island school is Brown University in Providence at 18th out of 500. This Ivy League institution is known for its open curriculum which fosters collaborative research and social action.