Private nonprofit · University

Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island · Midsize city

#1 most selective in Rhode Island#1 for grad earnings in Rhode Island#1 graduation rate in Rhode Island
5.4%
Admit rate
$25,184
Avg net price
96%
Graduation rate
$93,487
Median earnings

Brown University is a private nonprofit bachelor's-granting institution in Providence, Rhode Island (midsize city setting), enrolling 7,226 undergraduates.

Private nonprofitMidsize · 7,226 undergradsMidsize cityHighly selective · 5% admitNCAA Division I-FCS · Ivy GroupCold wintersSnowyNear the coast

Will you get in?

See where your numbers land against Brown University's admitted students.

Admit rate
5.4%
SAT (mid 50%)
1510–1580
Avg GPA (est.)
4.00

Enter a test score to see where you land against Brown University's admitted students.

A guide, not a prediction. It compares your numbers with the middle 50% of admitted students and Brown University's overall admit rate — it can't see essays, recommendations, activities, or your intended major, which all move real decisions.

About Providence, Rhode Island

Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Providence was settled in June 1636 by Puritan theologian Roger Williams and grew into one of the original Thirteen Colonies. Much of Providence culture is synonymous with the culture of Rhode Island as a whole. Like the state, the city has a non-rhotic accent that can be heard on local media. (Wikipedia)

Setting
Midsize city
Highest degree offered
Graduate
Nearest big city
Providence, RI
To the ocean
1 mile
Nearest airport
7 miles to Rhode Island T. F. Green (PVD) · major hub

How Brown University compares

View 91 more ranking appearances
#10 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates #29 · Private Nonprofit Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings #9 · Private Nonprofit Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates #5 · Private Nonprofit Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates #16 · Private Nonprofit Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt #7 · Private Nonprofit Colleges with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #26 · Residential Colleges (Dorm Capacity for at Least 50% of Undergraduates) with the Highest Former-Student Earnings #9 · Residential Colleges (Dorm Capacity for at Least 50% of Undergraduates) with the Highest Graduation Rates #5 · Residential Colleges (Dorm Capacity for at Least 50% of Undergraduates) with the Highest Retention Rates #6 · Residential Colleges (Dorm Capacity for at Least 50% of Undergraduates) with the Lowest Student Debt #6 · Residential Colleges (Dorm Capacity for at Least 50% of Undergraduates) with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #27 · Test-Optional Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings #7 · Test-Optional Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates #4 · Test-Optional Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates #16 · Test-Optional Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt #6 · Test-Optional Colleges with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #11 · Colleges with the Highest First-Year Retention Rates #7 · Colleges with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #42 · Colleges with the Highest Six-Year Former-Student Earnings #60 · Colleges with the Highest Loan Repayment Rates #62 · Colleges with the Highest Four-Year Graduation Rates #15 · Colleges with the Highest Pell Recipient Completion Rates #11 · Colleges with the Highest First-Generation Completion Rates #20 · Colleges with the Largest Average Institutional Grants #43 · Colleges with the Lowest Share of Federal Loan Borrowers #48 · Most Racially Diverse Colleges #22 · Colleges with the Most Out-of-State Freshmen #35 · Colleges with the Most International Freshmen #13 · Colleges with the Highest Average SAT Scores #20 · Colleges with the Highest ACT Midpoint Scores #12 · Colleges Closest to Major City Centers #3 · Colleges Offering the Most Varsity Sports #24 · Colleges with the Most Varsity Sports Participation Entries #22 · Cheapest Colleges for Families Earning $30,000–$48,000 #29 · Cheapest Colleges for Families Earning $48,000–$75,000 #1 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings in Rhode Island #3 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in Rhode Island #1 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in Rhode Island #1 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in Rhode Island #1 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in Rhode Island #21 · Best Colleges in the Northeast #7 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in the Northeast #3 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in the Northeast #12 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in the Northeast #50 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price in the Northeast #19 · Best Colleges on the East Coast #8 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates on the East Coast #4 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates on the East Coast #13 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt on the East Coast #94 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price on the East Coast #10 · Best Colleges in New England #47 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in New England #4 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in New England #2 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in New England #2 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in New England #17 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price in New England #8 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings Near Boston, MA #8 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings Near Providence, RI #8 · Colleges with the Highest Former-Student Earnings Near Worcester, MA #64 · Bachelor's Psychology, General Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #31 · Bachelor's Biology, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #21 · Bachelor's Biology, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #5 · Bachelor's Communication and Media Studies Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #6 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #1 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #9 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #2 · Bachelor's Computer Science Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #27 · Bachelor's Political Science and Government Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #35 · Bachelor's Political Science and Government Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #30 · Bachelor's Political Science and Government Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #19 · Bachelor's Political Science and Government Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #35 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #36 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #23 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #17 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #3 · Bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #46 · Bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #6 · Bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #4 · Bachelor's English Language and Literature, General Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #17 · Bachelor's English Language and Literature, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #21 · Bachelor's English Language and Literature, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #35 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #11 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #14 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #5 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #3 · Bachelor's Public Health Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #16 · Bachelor's Public Health Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #3 · Bachelor's Public Health Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #4 · Bachelor's Public Health Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #21 · Bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #10 · Bachelor's Research and Experimental Psychology Programs with the Lowest Student Debt
Selectivity5.4%

More selective than 99% · #1 most selective of 10 in Rhode Island

SAT average1546

Higher than 99%

Graduation rate96%

Higher than 98% · #1 of 10 in Rhode Island

First-year retention99%

Higher than 97%

Earnings, 10 years after entry$93,487

Higher than 97% · #1 of 11 in Rhode Island

Average net price$25,184

Cheaper than 28% · #5 cheapest of 11 in Rhode Island

Median debt at graduation$11,428

Lower than 96%

Student–faculty ratio6 : 1

Lower than 94%

Undergraduate enrollment7,226

Larger than 84%

Percentiles compare Brown University with the nation's 2,196 four-year colleges, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count four-year colleges in Rhode Island.

Student body

Undergraduate vs. graduate

11,272students
  • Undergraduate7,22664%
  • Graduate4,04636%

Undergraduates by gender

7,226undergrads
  • Women3,90554%
  • Men3,32146%

Undergraduates by race / ethnicity

  • White33%
  • Black8.2%
  • Hispanic12%
  • Asian23%
  • Other or multiracial24%

Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.

By the numbers

Undergraduate enrollment
7,226
Graduate enrollment
4,046
Student–faculty ratio
6 : 1
Pell Grant recipients
14%
First-generation students
17%
Students over 25
2%
Median family income
$82,670
Avg faculty salary (academic year)
$160,551
Endowment
$6,718,785,000

Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.

Where students come from

Home state of the 1,695 first-year students who entered in fall 2023.

  • From Rhode Island3.4%
  • Other U.S. states81%
  • International16%

A national draw — only 3% of first-years come from Rhode Island; 81% arrive from other states.

16% came from outside the U.S. Out-of-state students usually pay a higher tuition rate at public schools — check the cost card above for your bracket. Source: IPEDS residence & migration, fall 2023 entering class.

Admissions

Admission rate
5.4%
Test scores
Considered but not required
SAT range (25th–75th %)
1510–1580
SAT average
1546
SAT reading
740–780
SAT math
770–800
ACT composite
34–35
Average GPA (estimated)
4.00

Cost

In-state tuition
$71,412
Room & board
$17,444
Books & supplies
$0
Total cost of attendance
$87,648
Average net price
$25,184

Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.

Outcomes

Graduated (within 6 years)
96%
Graduated on time (4 years)
77%
First-year retention
99%
Transferred to another college
0%
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$79,131
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
$93,487
Median debt at graduation
$11,428
Students with federal loans
10%
Paying down their loans (1 year in)
84%

About 19% of students who finish here need more than four years — each extra year adds roughly another year of tuition and living costs.

Graduating on time

By student background (4 years)

All students
77%
Low-income (Pell)
88%
First-generation
88%

When these bars run close together, students from every background tend to finish at similar rates — a sign the school supports the ~30% who are first-gen or low-income.

Campus life & athletics

On-campus housing
Yes
Dorm capacity
5,336
Dorm capacity vs undergrads
74%
Housing charge (year)
$9,650
Meal plan (year)
$6,948
Application fee
$75
Athletics
NCAA Division I-FCS
Football conference
Ivy Group
Varsity athletes
1,034 (505 men · 529 women)

Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.

Varsity sports (22)

Football112
Rowing107
Lacrosse105
Swimming and Diving (combined)66
Soccer62
Sailing61
Track and Field (Outdoor)56
Ice Hockey55
Track and Field (Indoor)54
Water Polo45
Cross Country43
Other Sports35
Baseball34
Basketball31
Field Hockey26
Wrestling24
Equestrian23
Softball21
Tennis21
Gymnastics19
Volleyball19
Fencing15

Athlete counts per sport, Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25.

Campus safety

Safety grade
C
Reported offenses per 1,000 students
4.7 / year
Violent offenses (2022–2024)
78
Property offenses (2022–2024)
89

On-campus criminal offenses reported under the Clery Act, 2022–2024, across 1 campus (11,956 students). Counts reflect reports, not convictions — schools with strong reporting cultures often show more, so a higher count doesn't simply mean a more dangerous campus.

Reported offenses in an average year

The same 2022–2024 Clery Act reports, divided down to one year.

56reported offenses a year
26 violent a year30 property a year

By offense type, per year

Motor vehicle theft
21
Rape
17
Fondling
8.3
Burglary
7.3
Arson
1.3
Aggravated assault
0.7

Averages, not a forecast — a single year can run well above or below this. Bars are scaled against this campus's most-reported offense, so they compare types here rather than against other schools.

What you'll actually pay, by family income

Average net price (total cost minus grants and scholarships) paid by aided students in each family-income band.

< $30k
-$420
$30–48k
$2,031
$48–75k
$5,858
$75–110k
$16,219
$110k+
$44,937

College Scorecard / IPEDS, most recent year. Family income is total household income; net price covers tuition, fees, room, board and supplies after grant aid, for students receiving federal aid.

Four-year (or more) true cost

Net price for your family's income, projected across the time it actually takes students here to graduate.

Est. total to a degree
$25,138

$5,858/year × about 4.3 years — most students here don't finish in exactly four, and each extra term adds cost. A planning estimate from net-price and graduation-timing data, not a bill.

Does the school pay you to attend?

Grant aid from the school's own funds — the discount off sticker, on top of any federal or state help.

51%
of first-years get a grant from the school
$56,435
average award, among those who get one

Brown University discounts heavily: 51% of freshmen are awarded a grant straight from the school, averaging $56,435. For many families the real price lands well below sticker.

Blends need-based and merit aid — IPEDS doesn't split the two, so a high number can mean generous merit scholarships, deep need-based aid, or both. Figures cover 1,717 full-time first-year undergraduates, 2022–23. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid.

Is it worth it?

A rough return-on-investment read from what graduates earn versus what they borrow.

Median earnings (10 years)
$93,487
Typical debt at graduation
$11,428
Debt vs. one year's pay
12%
Out-earn a HS grad
79%

Typical debt would take roughly 1.2 years to repay at about a tenth of median earnings.

Strong value

Graduates here tend to earn well relative to what they borrow — typical debt pays back fast, and most out-earn a high-school graduate.

Earnings are the College Scorecard median for former students (working, not enrolled) 10 years after entry — not a guarantee, and they vary a lot by major. Debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.

The pay gap here

Median earnings 10 years after entry, split by gender.

Women
$88,020
Men
$100,020

Men out-earn women by $12,000 (14%) a decade out.

Federal figures for former students working and not enrolled, 10 years after they first entered. A gap this wide usually reflects which majors men and women here tend to choose — not different pay for the same job.

Campus climate

Summer high
84°F
Winter low
22°F
Annual rain
47.5″
Annual snow
36.6″

Average temperature

HighLow
10°50°90°JFMAMJJASOND

Average precipitation (inches)

0.02.54.9JFMAMJJASOND

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Providence T F Green AP, RI US station (7.4 mi from campus).

Median earnings of this school's own graduates 1 and 5 years after finishing each program, and median federal-loan debt at completion (College Scorecard). Small programs are privacy-suppressed (—). Click a major to compare colleges nationally.

Colleges similar to Brown University

Schools with a comparable profile — size, selectivity, cost, and graduate outcomes. Compare Brown University side by side →

Colleges near Brown University

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.