NEC vs. RIC

Deciding between New England College and Rhode Island College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

New England College
Rhode Island College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • NEC Henniker, NH
  • RIC Providence, RI
  • Setting
  • NEC Distant Rural
  • RIC Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • NEC 3,275
  • RIC 6,155
  • Type
  • NEC Private 4 Year
  • RIC Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • NEC
  • RIC #843
  • Religious Affiliation
  • NEC -
  • RIC -
  • Status
  • NEC Non-profit
  • RIC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • NEC
  • RIC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • NEC $41,938
  • RIC $11,300
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • NEC $41,938
  • RIC $27,299
  • Room & Board
  • NEC $17,526
  • RIC $13,414
  • Average Net Price
  • NEC $27,398
  • RIC $10,346
  • Average Grant Aid
  • NEC $32,095
  • RIC $6,706
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • NEC 99%
  • RIC 95%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • NEC 3,251
  • RIC 5,415
  • Admitted
  • NEC 2,995
  • RIC 4,972
  • Acceptance Rate
  • NEC 92.1%
  • RIC 91.8%
  • Enrolled
  • NEC 8.8%
  • RIC 23.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • NEC
  • RIC 1000
  • Typical ACT score
  • NEC
  • RIC
  • Average High School GPA
  • NEC 2.81
  • RIC 3.08
  • Typical High School Grades
  • NEC B-
  • RIC B
  • Admissions Standards
  • NEC Unavailable
  • RIC Extremely Easy
  • Applicant Competition
  • NEC
  • RIC
  • ACT Range
  • NEC
  • RIC
  • SAT Range
  • NEC
  • RIC 870/1120
  • Submit Test Scores
  • NEC Test-free
  • RIC Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • NEC
  • RIC Mar 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • NEC 8:1
  • RIC 15:1
  • Popular Majors
  • NEC
    • Business (19%)
    • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (16%)
    • Education (11%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
    • Psychology (7%)
  • RIC
    • Education (21%)
    • Business (17%)
    • Psychology (12%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • NEC 38%
  • RIC 44%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • NEC $39,400
  • RIC $42,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • NEC 54%
  • RIC 59%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • NEC $27,000
  • RIC $21,200
  • Median Loan Payment
  • NEC $279
  • RIC $219

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • NEC 52%
  • RIC 30%
  • % Women
  • NEC 48%
  • RIC 70%
  • Racial Diversity
  • NEC High
  • RIC Medium
  • HBCU
  • NEC No
  • RIC No
  • % White
  • NEC 53%
  • RIC 62%
  • % Asian
  • NEC 1%
  • RIC 3%
  • % Black
  • NEC 25%
  • RIC 8%
  • % Hispanic
  • NEC 9%
  • RIC 16%
  • % Native American
  • NEC 1%
  • RIC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • NEC 0%
  • RIC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • NEC 1%
  • RIC 2%
  • % International
  • NEC 3%
  • RIC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • NEC 7%
  • RIC 8%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • NEC 56%
  • RIC 87%
  • % Out-of-State
  • NEC 39%
  • RIC 13%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • NEC Yes
  • RIC Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • NEC No
  • RIC No
  • Meal Plan
  • NEC Yes
  • RIC Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • NEC Yes
  • RIC Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • NEC No
  • RIC Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare New England College in Henniker, NH with Rhode Island College in Providence, RI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Rhode Island College is larger than NEC based on total student enrollment (6,155 students vs. 3,275 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • New England College is located in Henniker, NH (Distant Rural setting); Rhode Island College is in Providence, RI (Large Suburban setting).
  • New England College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Rhode Island College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: New England College 8:1; Rhode Island College 15:1.

NEC vs. RIC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NEC or RIC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rhode Island College than NEC ($10,346 vs. $27,398).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island College are 23.5% lower than at New England College ($13,414 vs. $17,526).
  • New England College is 271.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than RIC (about $30,638 more per year; $41,938.00 vs. $11,300.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 53.6% higher at NEC than at Rhode Island College (about $14,639 more per year; $41,938.00 vs. $27,299.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at New England College than at Rhode Island College (99% vs. 95%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by New England College students is 378.6% larger than aid received by Rhode Island College students ($32,095 vs. $6,706).

NEC vs. RIC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, NEC or RIC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between RIC and NEC.

  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsRhode Island College 870/1120.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: NEC - Test-free; RIC - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: RIC Mar 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman RIC students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.08) than students at NEC (2.81).
  • NEC has a higher acceptance rate (92.1%) than RIC (91.8%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8.8% at NEC vs. 23.1% at RIC.

NEC vs. RIC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for NEC and RIC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Rhode Island College's six-year graduation rate (44%) is higher than New England College's (38%).
  • Graduates from Rhode Island College earn a median of about $2,600 more per year than NEC graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,000 vs. $39,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Rhode Island College graduates have a $5,800 lower median loan debt than NEC graduates ($21,200 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, RIC graduates have an estimated $60 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NEC graduates ($219 vs. $279).
  • More RIC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NEC students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 54%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.