Brown University
#1 Best Colleges in Rhode Island- Graduation Rate
- 96% A+
- Most students who enroll finish their degree here
- Earnings (10yr)
- $93,487 A+
- Top 1% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $25,184 D
- 47% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 5% A+
- Rejects about 95 of every 100 applicants
Bottom line: A B overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 22.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $22.7 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Colleges in Rhode Island.
Every $1 spent returns $22.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $2,188,522.
What The Data Says
-
A B overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
-
Graduates earn 129% more than the national college median.
-
A 96% graduation rate — 67% above the national average.
-
Inventor rate in the top 12% nationally — patents, startups, and new technology flow from its graduates.
-
Admits just 5% of applicants — one of the most selective institutions in the country.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 2.1%
- Top 12%
- Patents
- 195
- Linked to graduates
- World Rank
- #55
- Times Higher Education
- Patent Citations
- 138
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 57/100
- Times Higher Education
Why Brown University Matters
Brown University is a private research university in Providence, RI ranked #55 in the world by Times Higher Education, and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by exceptional admissions selectivity, a top-tier research enterprise, an unusually high rate of inventors and patents, and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 1% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Research University
- Carnegie Class
- R1 · Very High Research
- Enrollment
- 7,226
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Social Sciences, Computer Science & IT, Biology & Biomedical, Mathematics & Statistics
Why students choose Brown University
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Highly selective — admits about 5% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1510–1580. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $25,184 a year after grants and scholarships — 47% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $93,487 ten years after enrolling — 129% above the typical college, against $11,428 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.4% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 56% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.84 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an acceptance rate of just 5%, Brown University in Providence, RI, is a selective option that attracts students driven to excel academically and personally. It’s a place for those who thrive in a collaborative environment and are eager to dive into programs like Social Sciences, Computer Science, Biology, Mathematics, and Engineering. The high graduation rate of 96% speaks to the strong support system in place, making it a solid choice for ambitious students.
After graduation, Brown alumni see impressive earning potential, with a median income of $93,487 ten years post-graduation. This financial trajectory suggests that graduates are not just securing jobs, but often moving into roles that reward their hard work. While this school may come with a price tag, the outcomes reflect a community that values education and shapes successful careers.
When it comes to the finances, the net price after aid stands at $25,184, and the median debt is relatively manageable at $11,428. This is encouraging, especially for students who may be concerned about student loans. Those who tend to thrive here are often self-motivated and ready to engage deeply with their studies, taking full advantage of the opportunities that come their way.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Brown University is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Brown University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Providence, Rhode Island, Brown University turns away the vast majority of its applicants. The acceptance rate is 5%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,546. The graduation rate is roughly 96%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Retention Rate
- 99%
- SAT Average
- 1546
- ACT Midpoint
- 34
- SAT Range
- 1510–1580
- ACT Range
- 34–35
- Full-Time Faculty
- 92%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $17,839
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 6:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.80
- First-Gen Students
- 17%
- Applicants
- 50,649
- Admitted
- 2,562
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Brown University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Brown University is $71,412, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $25,184. For the lowest-income families, those earning under $30,000, need-based grants can fully cover tuition, leaving little or nothing to pay out of pocket. The median graduate leaves with about $11,428 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $71,412
- Out-of-State
- $71,412
- Avg Net Price
- $25,184
- Median Debt
- $11,428
- Pell Grant Rate
- 14%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 10%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $-420
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $2,031
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $5,858
- Family Income $110K+
- $44,937
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Brown University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Brown University earn a median of $93,487, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $79,131
- 8 Years
- $84,208
- 10 Years
- $93,487
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.12x
- Earning > $25K
- 79%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (1,306)
- 84%
- 100% (1,306)
- 84%
- 100% (1,306)
- 84%
- 100% (1,306)
- 84%
How Brown Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Brown University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Brown University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $25,184/year ($100,736 total). Graduates earn $93,487 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,289,258 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,188,522 (22.7× your investment). The median debt is $11,428, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 96% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $100,736
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $2,289,258
- Net Return
- $2,188,522
- ROI Multiple
- 22.7×
- Cost Per Year
- $25,184
- Median Debt
- $11,428
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 96%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Brown University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Brown University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.36%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 11.5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 11.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $67,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.36%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 11.9%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 11.5%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $67,800
Research & Teaching
Data: Times Higher Education World University Rankings
How Research-Intensive Is Brown University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
Times Higher Education places Brown University at #55 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 57/100, teaching at 60/100, and citation impact of 78/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
- World Rank
- #55
- Teaching
- 59.7
- Research
- 57
- Citations
- 77.7
- International
- 60.5
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Brown University produces inventors at an above-average rate (top 12% nationally), with 195 patents tied to its graduates, and ranks among research universities with a 57/100 research score.
- Inventor Rate
- 2.07%
- Top 12% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 195
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 138
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 57/100
- Times Higher Ed
- Academic Influence
- 78/100
- Citation impact (THE)
- Inventors From Low-Income
- 1.16%
- Bottom-20% families
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-354,201,000
Top Programs
The fields Brown University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.
- Social Sciences 23%
- Computer Science & IT 15%
- Biology & Biomedical 12%
- Mathematics & Statistics 11%
- Engineering 5%
- English & Literature 4%
- Psychology 3%
- Physical Sciences 3%
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Brown University's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-AI/ML Engineer$156,000 · 23% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Computer Vision Engineer$145,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CPhysicist$142,850 · 5% growthAdaptable 66
- CAstronomer$142,850 · 4% growthAdaptable 66
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Brown University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Providence, Rhode Island, Brown University turns away the vast majority of its applicants. The acceptance rate is 5%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,546. The graduation rate is roughly 96%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Brown University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Brown University is $71,412, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $25,184. For the lowest-income families, those earning under $30,000, need-based grants can fully cover tuition, leaving little or nothing to pay out of pocket. The median graduate leaves with about $11,428 in federal student loans.
Is Brown University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Brown University earn a median of $93,487, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
Does Brown University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Brown University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.36%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 11.5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 11.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $67,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Brown University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Brown University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 13% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
How Research-Intensive Is Brown University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
Times Higher Education places Brown University at #55 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 57/100, teaching at 60/100, and citation impact of 78/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
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Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Brown University.
- Yale UniversityNew Haven, CT · Close peer96% grad $100,533 earn 4% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Duke UniversityDurham, NC · Close peer96% grad $97,800 earn 6% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN · Close peer93% grad $91,565 earn 6% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL · Close peer96% grad $89,363 earn 8% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Dartmouth CollegeHanover, NH · Close peer96% grad $97,434 earn 5% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of ChicagoChicago, IL · Close peer95% grad $91,885 earn 4% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Brown University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Brown University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 13% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note