PROVIDENCE — For students attending — or planning to attend — Rhode Island’s two more affordable public colleges, costs could be going up.
The state body that oversees public higher education approved increases in the costs to attend the Community College of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College, an official at the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner told the Globe.
At CCRI, tuition and fees would go up 5.7 percent for students resident in Rhode Island. For those attending the college from out of state, the cost of attending would jump 5.8 percent. Meanwhile, Rhode Island College will see increases of 3.6 percent for residents and those students coming from outside the Ocean State for the 2025-26 academic year.
“These rates are for tuition and fees, not tuition alone,” said Beth Bailey, the chief communications officer at the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner, which is the administrator of the council on postsecondary education in the state. “Tuition and fees were increased last year as well.”
The high cost of operations was the reason that CCRI requested the increase, said Kellie Ann Wright, the college’s director of market and communications.
Wright noted that the tuition costs will increase to nearly $5,900 per year, from the current $5,550 for Rhode Islanders. For out-of-state students, the price will increase by $866, to $15,700.
“Regarding tuition cost, CCRI ranks in the middle of New England among community colleges, and the most affordable higher education institution in Rhode Island,” Wright said.
The cost of attending CCRI, one of the largest community colleges in New England, remains $1,500 below the maximum Pell Grant that a student can secure, funds that can be used to pay for additional expenses of attending the college, Wright said.
“We understand the financial challenges that our students face, and we remain deeply committed to providing the highest quality education and critical support services to ensure their success,” she said.
At Rhode Island College, in-state students will see an increase of about $400 next year, bringing the cost to attend to $11,700, a spokesperson told the Globe. Attendees from the Northeast will pay about $16,800, a jump of close to $600. Out-of-state students will see an increase of nearly $1,000, bringing the total cost of tuition and fees to about $28,300.
“The proposed tuition increase... represents total tuition and mandatory fees for full-time undergraduate students,” John Taraborelli, Rhode Island College’s director of communications told the Globe in an email.
Rhode Island College saw its enrolling undergraduate class jump more than 7 percent this year to nearly 5,200 students, according to university data. CCRI admits about 20,000 students who take classes for credit as well as workforce development courses at the college, Wright said.
Omar Mohammed can be reached at omar.mohammed@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter (X) @shurufu.