Providence College

Providence, RI · NortheastQuad's selectivityVery selective

Known forDraws students nationallyHigh earnersHigh graduation ratePell students graduate at the same rateTest-optional heavy

Website Admissions Apply Visit Financial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

5 in 10 applicants admitted

Providence admits about 5 in 10 applicants (51%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 84% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

51%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityVery selective

Applied

12,521

Admitted

6,372

Yield

19%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1250–1390

10001600

ACT middle 50%

29–32

1836

Applications +39% since fall 2014 · admit rate 63% → 51%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 4,229 undergrads, where 13% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

4.2K

undergrads · larger than 75% of colleges

Diversity index

0.36

Pell Grant

13%

below the median

First generation

15%

below the median

Midsize cityNCAA D-I · Big East ConferenceROTCStudy abroadUndergrad research

Less diverse · index 0.40 → 0.36 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Finance, General (17% of graduates). 11 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 68% of colleges. 72% of faculty are full-time. Spends $17,553 a year on instruction per student.

11 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 68% of colleges

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $54,092 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $29.8K more than the national median. The 83% who received grants paid $48,618 on average; the other 17% paid the full sticker price of $80,640.

33%

$54.1K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $29.8K above the national median

Full price: $80,640 a year; tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid: Published data end at $110K; use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Merit aid: 17% · avg $32K; of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)

Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 33% of full price

Federal loans

57%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits

Cost rising · +5% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $87,054 ten years after enrolling, more than at 94% of colleges; 86% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 2.5 years of that salary.

86%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$87.1K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$27K

≈ $286/month for 10 years

Retention

94%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 86% → 86% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 6% after inflation, and what the average first-year paid moved with it. Applications rose 39% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 63% to 51%.

Cost
Rising
+5% after inflation
Applications
Growing
+39%
Selectivity
More selective
admit rate 63% → 51%
Diversity
Less diverse
index 0.40 → 0.36

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

Fairfield University

33% admit · SAT 1325 · 5.4K undergrads

Similar scoresSimilar sizeAlso Northeast

Compare side-by-side

Bucknell University

32% admit · SAT 1390 · 3.9K undergrads

Similar scoresSimilar sizeAlso Northeast

Compare side-by-side

Marist University

57% admit · SAT 1265 · 5.2K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso Northeast

Compare side-by-side

University of Dayton

65% admit · SAT 1290 · 7.7K undergrads

Similar scoresAlso private

Compare side-by-side

Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

1
IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
2
College Scorecard
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12
3
IPEDS Admissions survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
4
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
5
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
6
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
7
IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12
8
College Scorecard Field of Study data
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
9
IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
10
IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
11
Common Data Set
Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
12
IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12
13
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
14
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
15
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
16
IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
17
IPEDS Outcome Measures survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12
18
Providence College (2026)
Providence College · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 217402 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything