Regional university
#22 Best colleges for social work in AmericaProvidence College
Providence, RI · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $48,523 a year
Median debt at graduation: $27,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Campus tour
Providence Campus Tour · From the college’s official YouTube channel. Plays from YouTube when you tap it.
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#23 of 1,046
- Best colleges for social work in America#22 of 605
- Best colleges for accounting in America#52 of 1,132
- Best colleges for marketing in America#42 of 834
- Best colleges for finance in America#44 of 744
- Best colleges for business in America#96 of 1,563
Show 20 more
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#81 of 1,238
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#122 of 1,829
- Best colleges for education in America#89 of 1,318
- Best colleges in America#160 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#128 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#139 of 1,481
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#131 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#128 of 1,283
- Best colleges for history in America#131 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#127 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#134 of 1,215
- Best mid-size colleges in America#75 of 667
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#133 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#131 of 1,116
- Best colleges for music in America#127 of 1,063
- Best colleges for computer science in America#90 of 750
- Best colleges for engineering in America#103 of 749
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#102 of 693
- Best colleges for economics in America#130 of 788
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in America#75 of 367
In Rhode Island
- Best colleges for accounting in Rhode Island#1 of 8
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Rhode Island#1 of 8
- Best colleges for finance in Rhode Island#1 of 8
- Best colleges for marketing in Rhode Island#1 of 8
- Best colleges for business in Rhode Island#2 of 10
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Rhode Island#2 of 9
Show 12 more
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Rhode Island#2 of 9
- Best colleges for psychology in Rhode Island#2 of 9
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Rhode Island#2 of 8
- Best colleges in Rhode Island#3 of 11
- Best test-optional colleges in Rhode Island#3 of 11
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Rhode Island#3 of 11
- Best colleges for art and design in Rhode Island#3 of 9
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Rhode Island#3 of 9
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in Rhode Island#3 of 9
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in Rhode Island#3 of 9
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Rhode Island#3 of 9
- Most selective colleges in Rhode Island#3 of 9
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.86%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.94%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,346 · ACT 30.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.11 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$17,553
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $80,466 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 4,191 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 46% · Women 54% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 15% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 92% |
| Total students | 4,635 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $48,523 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $80,466 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 86% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 85% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 83% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 79% |
| First-year retention | 94% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $87,054 |
| Admission rate | 51% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $65 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 13% |
| Average SAT | 1346 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 630–700 |
| SAT math | 620–690 |
| ACT composite | 29–32 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Solid (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Accounting | |
| Finance | |
| Economics | |
| Biology | |
| Mathematics | |
| Marketing | |
| Business administration | |
| Romance languages | |
| Political science | |
| Health administration | |
| Social work | |
| Global studies | |
| Sociology | |
| Psychology | |
| English | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Special education |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Area studies, Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Classics, Communication studies, Community Organization and Advocacy, Computer science, Criminology, Design, Ecology and evolutionary biology, Engineering (general), Engineering Physics, Engineering Science, Ethnic and gender studies, Film and video, Fine arts, Fire science, History, Human resources, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Philosophy, Public health, Public relations, Secondary education, Social sciences, Theatre, Theology, Writing and rhetoric.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Social sciences | |
| Biology | |
| Psychology | |
| Education |
Campus life
| Setting | City |
|---|---|
| Part-time undergraduates | 2% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 2% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $17,840 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Big East Conference |
| ROTC | Army |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 11 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 12%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 72%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $72,672IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 80% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport (PVD)About 8 miles away |
| Nearest major airport | Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)About 42 miles away |
| Town population | 191,767Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | BostonAbout 40 miles away |
| Typical weather | 30°F in January · 74°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Providence T F Green Airport, RI, about 8 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.86 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.64 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.21 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Providence College’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 9% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Providence College cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $48,523 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Providence College?
- Providence College admitted 51% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Providence College’s graduates do?
- 86% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $87,054; the median federal debt at graduation is $27,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 217402
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (larger programs)
- Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Roman Catholic
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Colleges like this one
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