Bryant University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Smithfield, Rhode Island. It enrolls 3,194 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
AccreditorNew England Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Good
65/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes85
Value27
Affordability4
Selectivity72
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Bryant University admits 65.5% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.
Acceptance Rate
65.5%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1190 – 1330
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
27 – 28
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Bryant University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
5.3 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $41,219 a year on average, it sits above what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. That is a serious number, so the earnings further down matter more here than usual. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$52,677
Room & Board (on-campus)
$17,528
Room & Board (off-campus)
$10,000
Books & Supplies
$1,400
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$1,550
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,500
Total Cost of Attendance
$69,964
Application fee: $50 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$32,698
$30,001 – $48,000
$34,055
$48,001 – $75,000
$36,130
$75,001 – $110,000
$39,680
Over $110,000
$44,846
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$5,50010%percentile
$15,00025%percentile
$26,849Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$35,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $26,929
—
No Pell $21,500
↓ $5,349
Dependent students $23,250
↓ $3,599
Independent students $25,000
↓ $1,849
Female students $25,000
↓ $1,849
Male students $22,774
↓ $4,075
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,500, less than completers ($26,849), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
83% of students who start here finish within six years, and 87% come back after first year. Most people who start here leave with the degree they came for. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
83%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
87%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Strong completion signals. Most students who start, finish.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $90,008 a year, well above the national median. Strong earnings, though the field studied drives much of that. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$90,008
Earning > $25K
92%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$70,300
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$82,900
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$65,500
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$74,100
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$80,700
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $12,600, about 15% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
7.9 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 94% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 3,194 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
3,194
Part-Time
1%
First-Generation
16%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 72.7%2,321
Hispanic 9.4%300
International 5.5%177
Black 4.2%135
Asian 3.9%124
Other 3.5%112
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Bryant University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Bryant University offers
a varied set of programs:
33 distinct programs across
12 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 13 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$419M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$130,649
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
163 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
56
34%
$182,052
Associate Professors
23
14%
$140,131
Assistant Professors
18
11%
$128,897
Lecturers
66
40%
$84,209
Pros & Cons of Bryant University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Bryant University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Bryant University is a fit for
students prioritizing post-graduation earnings.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bryant University
The questions families ask most about Bryant University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Bryant University hard to get into?
Admissions at Bryant University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 65.5%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Bryant University?
65.5% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Bryant University?
Aim for 1330 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 1190 and 1330 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Bryant University?
Aim for 28 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 27 and 28 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Bryant University cost?
Budget around $41,219 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Bryant University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $90,008 a year against a net price of $41,219, about 2.2 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Bryant University known for?
Mostly Finance, Marketing, Business Administration. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Bryant University graduates earn?
About $90,008 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Bryant University accredited?
Yes. Bryant University is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Bryant University?
3,194 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Bryant University?
83% finish within six years. Most people who start here graduate, which is the signal you want. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Bryant University a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Bryant University located?
Bryant University is located in Smithfield, Rhode Island.
What programs does Bryant University offer?
33 different programs, most commonly Finance, Marketing, Business Administration. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Bryant University?
13 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Rhode Island
Other colleges in Rhode Island share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Fine Arts
Architectural Sciences and Technology
Systems Science and Theory
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