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Walley School, Bristol Rhode IslandPhoto: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0
Colleges in and near Bristol

Bristol is a college town: 19 of every 100 residents are students

Roger Williams University (4,074 students on campus) and Roger Williams University School of Law (516) are inside the town. Across Rhode Island, 8 of every 100 residents are enrolled in college.

College town19% of residents are studentsRoger Williams University

From the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard, June 2026; IPEDS fall 2023 enrollment) and the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 2020–24. Straight-line distances from the center of Bristol. Colleges are described, not graded.

Within 15 miles
12
50,493 students on campus
Nearest college
1.8 mi
Roger Williams University School of Law
Residents in college
19%
Above RI (8%)
Nearest community college
11 mi
Community College of Rhode Island · $5,550 tuition
Nearest public university
15.2 mi
Rhode Island College · $11,300 in-state
Students on campus in Bristol
4,590
next to 21,970 residents

What stands out about college in Bristol

Facts about the town and its distance to campus; each college’s own figures follow.

A college town19 of every 100 Bristol residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across Rhode Island.A university in BristolRoger Williams University has 4,074 students on campus in Bristol, 69% of whom graduate within six years.A community college 11 miles awayCommunity College of Rhode Island in Warwick: tuition and fees $5,550 a year for Rhode Island residents.In-state price at Rhode Island CollegeLiving in Rhode Island, Rhode Island College charges $11,300 in tuition and fees; from out of state, $27,299. State residency rules decide which a new arrival pays.
Town & gown

What it’s like to live in Bristol

How much the colleges shape the town, from the Census Bureau’s survey of residents.

19 of every 100 Bristol residents are in college (RI: 8).

4,590students on campus at Bristol’s 2 colleges, next to 21,970 residents (dorm students count as residents)
1,430college students live in Bristol households rather than dorms
43.0median age · RI 40.6
52%of residents are women · RI 51% (±1.4 points)
34%of homes rented · RI 36%
$1,579median rent · 18% above the state
BristolBristol, RI
Cost of living$1,579/mo median rentDSafetyCrime reported to the FBIA+HealthCDC estimatesAJobs & incomeIncome, jobs, getting aroundAHandbookTrash day, parking, who to call

How students change Bristol’s other numbers

Read the town’s other grades with this in mind. How TownRatings handles college towns →

Jobs & income A

Students who live off campus count in the Census poverty figures: 6.6% of Bristol residents are below the poverty line, 5.8% when college students are left out (that estimate could be off by 2 points either way). 16% of the students themselves are below the line. In college towns, the Jobs & income grade uses the rate without students and leaves unemployment out.

Cost of living D

The Cost grade counts the share of renters paying 30% or more of income on rent, leaving it out only where students are a quarter of residents or more. Here they are 19%, so student incomes still weigh on that figure.

Health A

CDC’s estimates follow each place’s age mix, and Bristol’s median age is 43.0 (Rhode Island 40.6), so the adult figures describe a young population.

Safety A+

Crime is counted per resident, and students who live here count as residents. A college with its own police department reports its incidents under that department, not the city.

Every college

Colleges within 15 miles of Bristol

Nine private colleges within 14.3 miles, one public college within 14.3 miles, and two community colleges. The nearest public four-year college, Rhode Island College, is 15.2 miles away.

5 mi10 mi15 miBrown UniversityCommunity College of Rhode IslandUniversity of Massachusetts-DartmouthBristol
University or collegeCommunity college
Roger Williams University School of LawUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 516 on campus · In Bristol$70kearningsEarnings are reported for all 2 campuses that file with it.Graduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Roger Williams UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 4,074 on campus · In Bristol88%admitted$38knet price69%graduate$70kearningsEarnings are reported for all 2 campuses that file with it.Bristol Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · 3,080 on campus · 8.6 mi · Fall River, MA$6knet price22%graduate$39kearningsTuition and fees: $5,832 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Community College of Rhode IslandCommunity college · Public · 9,996 on campus · 11 mi · Warwick$7knet price26%graduate$43kearningsTuition and fees: $5,550 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.College UnboundUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 225 on campus · 11.5 mi · Providence$21knet priceNew England Institute of TechnologyUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 1,751 on campus · 11.9 mi · East Greenwich67%admitted$36knet price60%graduate$49kearningsJohnson & Wales University-ProvidenceUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 4,285 on campus · 12.3 mi · Providence88%admitted$31knet price55%graduate$43kearningsEarnings are reported for all 3 campuses that file with it.Brown UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 11,009 on campus · 12.4 mi · Providence5%admitted$25knet price96%graduate$93kearningsRhode Island School of DesignUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 2,540 on campus · 12.6 mi · Providence19%admitted$51knet price89%graduate$68kearningsSalve Regina UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 2,220 on campus · 14.2 mi · Newport68%admitted$37knet price77%graduate$73kearningsUniversity of Massachusetts-DartmouthUniversity or college · Public · 6,221 on campus · 14.3 mi · North Dartmouth, MA91%admitted$21knet price52%graduate$69kearningsProvidence CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 4,576 on campus · 14.3 mi · Providence51%admitted$49knet price86%graduate$87kearnings

Degree-granting colleges with 100 or more students on campus (fall 2023 enrollment, minus students who study only online). Admitted: share of applicants offered a place. Net price: the average a year after grants, for students on federal aid. Graduate: within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting.

What it costs

What would your family pay?

The average a year after grants, for families on federal aid, at the colleges within 15 miles and the nearest public four-year college. Pick your family’s income.

Family income

Starts at $75–110k, where Bristol’s median household income ($97,764) falls.

Community College of Rhode Island11 mi · Warwick · sticker $12,725 · tuition $5,550$6,965a year
Bristol Community College8.6 mi · Fall River, MA · sticker $12,168 · tuition $5,832$7,329a year
Rhode Island College15.2 mi · Providence · sticker $17,454$12,809a year
Brown University12.4 mi · Providence · sticker $87,648$16,219a year
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth14.3 mi · North Dartmouth, MA · sticker $33,485$22,273a year
Johnson & Wales University-Providence12.3 mi · Providence · sticker $60,314$31,803a year
Providence College14.3 mi · Providence · sticker $80,466$33,169a year
Rhode Island School of Design12.6 mi · Providence · sticker $81,727$33,893a year
Salve Regina University14.2 mi · Newport · sticker $70,630$34,374a year
Roger Williams UniversityIn Bristol · sticker $61,950$37,318a year
New England Institute of Technology11.9 mi · East Greenwich · sticker $48,543$39,100a year
College Unbound11.5 mi · Providence · sticker $27,138—a year

The average a year after grants and scholarships, for first-time, full-time students on federal aid, from the College Scorecard. Your own price depends on your aid package; every college has a net price calculator. For community colleges the net price counts housing and food at full cost, so tuition is shown beside it. “—”: not reported for that income.

Outcomes

Do students finish, and does it pay?

Each dot is a college: across is the share who graduate, up is what they earn ten years after starting.

$0$20k$40k$60k$80k$100k0%25%50%75%100%Graduate →Community College of Rhode IslandJohnson & Wales University-ProvidenceBrown UniversityUniversity of Massachusetts-DartmouthProvidence CollegeRhode Island College
Brown University96% graduate$93k earnings$11k typical debt
Community College of Rhode Island26% graduate$43k earnings$11k typical debt
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth52% graduate$69k earnings$25k typical debt
Rhode Island College48% graduate$56k earnings$20k typical debt
Providence College86% graduate$87k earnings$27k typical debt
Johnson & Wales University-Providence55% graduate$43k earnings*$26k typical debt
Roger Williams University69% graduate$70k earnings*$27k typical debt
Bristol Community College22% graduate$39k earnings$8k typical debt
Rhode Island School of Design89% graduate$68k earnings$27k typical debt
Salve Regina University77% graduate$73k earnings$27k typical debt
New England Institute of Technology60% graduate$49k earnings$17k typical debt

Graduation: first-time, full-time students within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 years (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting, for students who got federal aid. *Reported for all the campuses that file together: Roger Williams University (2); Johnson & Wales University-Providence (3).

Majors

What students study in Bristol

Share of bachelor’s and associate degrees by field at Roger Williams University, weighted by undergraduates; then the biggest programs.

Business 23%Law 12%Public safety 11%Biology 7%Psychology 7%Engineering 6%Everything else 34%

Biggest programs

Criminal Justice and Corrections98 graduates a year
$71k4 yrs out
Marketing78 graduates a year
$72k4 yrs out
Psychology, General60 graduates a year
$57k4 yrs out
Construction Management58 graduates a year
$93k4 yrs out
Business Administration, Management and Operations46 graduates a year
$76k4 yrs out
Finance and Financial Management Services44 graduates a year
$95k4 yrs out
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods36 graduates a year
$52k4 yrs out
Biology, General31 graduates a year
$72k4 yrs out

College Scorecard: degree shares (PCIP; each college’s six largest fields are kept, the rest count as everything else) and the field-of-study file, median earnings 4 years after graduating.

Questions about college in Bristol

Is Bristol a college town?

Yes. 19 of every 100 Bristol residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), against 8 across Rhode Island. Roger Williams University has 4,074 students on campus, next to 21,970 residents.

What colleges are in Bristol?

Roger Williams University and Roger Williams University School of Law are inside the town. Community College of Rhode Island is 11 miles away in Warwick.

Why is Bristol’s poverty rate so high?

Students who live off campus count in the Census figures. 6.6% of residents are below the poverty line; leaving college students out, 5.8% are (ACS 2020–24, give or take 2 points).

What is the closest community college to Bristol, and what does it cost?

Community College of Rhode Island in Warwick, 11 miles away. Tuition and fees are $5,550 a year for Rhode Island residents; the federal net price, $6,513, counts housing and food at full cost.

How hard is it to get into Roger Williams University?

Roger Williams University admitted 88% of applicants in the Scorecard’s latest year; the middle half of admitted students scored 1,140–1,310 on the SAT.

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Colleges: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023 enrollment). “On campus” is fall enrollment minus students who study only online. Distances are straight-line from the center of Bristol. Residents in college, age, rent and poverty (including poverty without college students, table B14006): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–24. Colleges are described, not graded; the College town label marks towns where 15% or more of residents are enrolled. How TownRatings describes colleges →