See Where Providence Ranks as a College Town
GoLocalProv Lifestyle Team
See Where Providence Ranks as a College Town
“One of the most crucial steps in the process is the campus visit, which often includes a tour of the city or town that will serve as the student’s home for several years. Experts have argued that an institution’s geographical location is just as important as a strong curriculum and supportive school environment to a student’s academic success and personal development,” said WalletHub.
Providence is ranked as the 80th best college town out of 415 ranked towns, according to a study done by WalletHub.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTProvidence ranks 316th WalletFitness Rank, 118th in social environment and 34th in academic and economic opportunities.
The Rankings
WalletHub ranks Providence 80th behind Waco, Texas and Santa Barbara, California at 78 and 79, while ahead of Irvine, California and Lincoln, Nebraska at 81 and 82 respectively.
Oxford, Ohio is ranked as the best college town in the country, while Brookline, Massachusetts is ranked as the worst.
See the full rankings in the map below.
The Method
WalletHub’s analysts examined 415 cities of varying sizes across three key dimensions: 1) WalletFitness, 2) Social Environment and 3) Academic & Economic Opportunities
WalletHub limited their selection of cities to those with a university or college population of at least 7,500 students. Some cities that met the college population criterion were excluded from the analysis due to lack of available data. The cities were categorized based on the following population-size guidelines:
- Large Cities: More than 300,000 people
- Midsize Cities: 125,000 to 300,000 people
- Small Cities: Less than 125,000 people
WalletHub then evaluated the three key dimensions using 26 relevant metrics. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing the most favorable conditions for college students.
WalletHub then calculated the overall score for each city based on its weighted average across all metrics and used the resulting scores to rank the cities accordingly.
WalletFitness– Total Points: 25
- Housing Costs: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)
Note: This metric measures the price of a two-bedroom apartment rental.
- Adjusted Cost of Living for Young People: Double Weight (~8.33 Points)
- Percentage of Rental Units: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)
- Average Monthly Fitness-Club Fee: Half Weight (~2.08 Points)
- Average Cost of Pizza & Burgers: Half Weight (~2.08 Points)
- Cost of Higher Education: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)
Note: This metric measures the average tuition fee weighted by the number of students.
Social Environment – Total Points: 25
- Number of Students per Capita: Double Weight (~3.45 Points)
- Percentage of Population Aged 18 to 35: Full Weight (~1.72 Points)
- Percentage of Single Persons: Half Weight (~0.86 Points)
- Student Gender Balance: Half Weight (~0.86 Points)
- Nightlife Options per Capita: Double Weight (~3.45 Points)
- Cafés per Capita: Full Weight (~1.72 Points)
- Breweries per Capita: Full Weight (~1.72 Points)
- Shopping Centers per Capita: Full Weight (~1.72 Points)
- Sports Clubs per Capita: Full Weight (~1.72 Points)
- City Accessibility: Half Weight (~0.86 Points)
- Note: This metric measures the percentage of workers who bike, walk or use public transportation
- Festivals per Capita: Full Weight (~1.72 Points)
- Attractions: Full Weight (~1.72 Points)
- Crime Rate: Double Weight (~3.45 Points)
Academic & Economic Opportunities – Total Points: 50
- Quality of Higher Education: Triple Weight (~16.67 Points)
- Earning Potential for College Graduates: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
Note: This metric measures the median earnings (adjusted by cost of living) of the population holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.
- Percentage of Part-Time Jobs: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
- Unemployment Rate: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
- Entrepreneurial Activity: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
Note: This metric measures the four-year average net change in the number of businesses per capita.
- Brain Drain: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
Note: This metric measures the annual change in the share of the population holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.
- Job-Growth Rate (2012 – 2015): Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
US News 2016 College Rankings
1.
- #14 in National Universities
- #10 in Best Value Schools
- #4 in Best Undergraduate Teaching
- #5 (tie) in High School Counselor Rankings
- #22 in Most Innovative Schools
- #44 (tie) in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs
US News Says:
"Brown University is a private institution that was founded in 1764. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,652, its setting is city, and the campus size is 146 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Brown University's ranking in the 2017 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 14. Its tuition and fees are $51,367 (2016-17)."
2.
- #1 in Regional Universities North
- #183 (tie) in Business Programs
US News Says:
"Providence College is a private institution that was founded in 1917. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 4,201, its setting is city, and the campus size is 105 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Providence College's ranking in the 2017 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Universities North, 1. Its tuition and fees are $46,970 (2016-17)."
3.
- #9 (tie) in Regional Universities North
- #5 in Best Colleges for Veterans
- #183 (tie) in Business Programs
US NEWS Says:
"Bryant University is a private institution that was founded in 1863. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 3,459, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 435 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Bryant University's ranking in the 2017 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Universities North, 9. Its tuition and fees are $40,962 (2016-17)"
4.
#32 (tie) in Regional Universities North
US News Says:
"Salve Regina University is a private institution that was founded in 1934. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,158, its setting is city, and the campus size is 78 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Salve Regina University's ranking in the 2017 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Universities North, 32. Its tuition and fees are $37,820 (2016-17)."
5,
- #35 (tie) in Regional Universities North
- #19 (tie) in Best Colleges for Veterans
- #69 (tie) in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs
- #283 (tie) in Business Programs
US News Says:
"Roger Williams University is a private institution that was founded in 1956. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 4,555, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 140 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Roger Williams University's ranking in the 2017 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Universities North, 35. Its tuition and fees are $32,100 (2016-17)."
6.
#67 (tie) in Regional Universities North
US News Says:
"Johnson & Wales University is a private institution that was founded in 1914. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 8,768, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 126 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. Johnson & Wales University's ranking in the 2017 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Universities North, 67. Its tuition and fees are $30,746 (2016-17)."
7.
- #137 (tie) in Regional Universities North
- #47 (tie) in Top Public Schools
US News Says:
"Rhode Island College is a public institution that was founded in 1854. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 7,446, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 180 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Rhode Island College's ranking in the 2017 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Universities North, 137. Its in-state tuition and fees are $8,206 (2016-17); out-of-state tuition and fees are $19,867 (2016-17)."
8.
- #159 (tie) in National Universities
- #141 (tie) in High School Counselor Rankings
- #83 (tie) in Top Public Schools
- #150 (tie) in Business Programs
- #116 (tie) in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs
US News Says:
"University of Rhode Island is a public institution that was founded in 1892. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 13,641, its setting is rural, and the campus size is 1,245 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. University of Rhode Island's ranking in the 2017 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 159. Its in-state tuition and fees are $12,862 (2015-16); out-of-state tuition and fees are $28,852 (2015-16)."
