Attainment

Municipal Data Sheets

In order to better understand higher education attainment in Rhode Island, the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner collects data to answer questions about who goes to college; what level do they stop formal education; how many people complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid Form (FAFSA); and more. Data analysis informs us on the types of policy changes we recommend, for example, and help identify areas of concern, such as the number of Rhode Islanders who do not advance beyond a high school diploma.

Why is that a concern? Because the state set a goal for 70% of Rhode Islanders to earn the postsecondary degrees and credentials needed to qualify to work in high-wage, in-demand jobs. As of February, 2024, our attainment rate is 56.7%.

We all deserve the opportunity of a quality education, so Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner staff work very hard to ensure that policies are fair and equitable and that they change with the times. We share this information so that everyone can review the data of their own hometowns with an eye to postsecondary goal-setting and preparation that will contribute to attainment, local economic success, and personal fulfillment.

Map

Click on the map to see data by each municipality.

Municipality Data

Select a town to see data by each municipality.

State of the State report

In February 2022, the Rhode Island Council on Postsecondary Education approved the 2022–2027 Rhode Island Strategic Plan for Postsecondary Education to help more Rhode Islanders attain credentials that will lead to careers with livable wages, stronger families and communities, and a Rhode Island economy boosted by a trained workforce aligned to industry standards. The plan was developed by the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner (OPC) after months of engagement with state institutions of higher education, workforce training partners, Board of Education members, students, municipal and state elected leadership, sister state agencies, and non-profit and business leaders. It lays out an ambitious agenda for the course ahead, focusing on five key priorities:

Closing equity gaps
Increasing affordability
Helping more adults attain degrees and certifications
Expanding workforce training opportunities
Strengthening PK–20 alignment

Successful implementation of the plan is anchored in understanding where we are as a state and developing a clear set of initiatives and action steps to meet our goals. This report, which is Part 1 of a two-part series, provides an overview of where Rhode Island stands on some key indicators. Over time, OPC will continue to track these and other indicators to ensure that the state is making progress on its priorities. Part 2 will detail the specific initiatives and action steps OPC will take to meet the goal of 70 percent of working-age Rhode Islanders obtaining a postsecondary credential by 2025.