Temple vs Rhode Island - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
For an applicant from outside the US the difference is financial: Rhode Island awards international students $26,565 on average, Temple awards $16,607.
The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Rhode Island: $70K against $64K.
90 points separate the SAT profiles: 1250 (Temple) against 1160.
Neither is international in practice: the share of foreign students does not exceed 4.4%.
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Rhode Island is the more selective of the two (72.2% vs 80.45% acceptance). Temple ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#401-500 vs #801-900). Rhode Island graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($70K vs $64K). Rhode Island has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,398 vs $40,144 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Temple for: a higher world ranking, a higher graduation rate, a larger aid package.
Choose Rhode Island for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, higher retention.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Rhode Island is more selective (72.2% vs 80.45% acceptance); Temple has a higher median SAT (1250 vs 1160).
Rhode Island graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($70K vs $64K); Temple has a higher 6-year graduation rate (75% vs 73.3%).
Rhode Island has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,398 vs $40,144); Temple offers a larger average aid package ($17,833 vs $17,595).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Temple | Rhode Island |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #401-500 | #801-900 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 80.45% | 72.2% |
| Yield rate | 15% | 16.4% |
| Median SAT | 1250 | 1160 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.42 | 3.65 |
| Number of applications | 40,817 | 28,021 |
| International students | 4.4% | 1.2% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $64K | $70K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $41K | $44K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $92K | $102K |
| Graduation rate | 75% | 73.3% |
| Retention rate | 83% | 85% |
| Median debt | $24,395 | $22,250 |
| Tuition · year | $40,144 | $38,398 |
| Avg. aid package | $17,833 | $17,595 |
| % of need met | 60.5% | 57% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $41,808 | $42,945 |
| Application fee | $55 | $65 |
| Enrollment | 29,637 | 14,466 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Temple or Rhode Island?
It's harder to get into Rhode Island. Temple accepts 80.45% of applicants, while Rhode Island accepts 72.2%.
Do Temple or Rhode Island graduates earn more?
Rhode Island graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $70K vs $64K.
How much is tuition at Temple vs Rhode Island?
Sticker-price tuition is $40,144 per year at Temple and $38,398 per year at Rhode Island.
What SAT score do you need for Temple or Rhode Island?
The median admitted SAT score is 1250 at Temple and 1160 at Rhode Island; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Temple or Rhode Island?
Temple ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #401-500 for Temple vs #801-900 for Rhode Island.
Which university offers more financial aid - Temple or Rhode Island?
The average aid package is $17,833 at Temple and $17,595 at Rhode Island.
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