Best Accounting Schools Near Providence, RI (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Providence, Rhode Island has 5 accredited schools offering accounting programs, with tuition ranging from $5,550 to $80,466 per year for indexed programs. Providence has a population of about 190,214. Median household income is $66,772 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area, the top-earning accounting-related role is Financial Manager at a median $167,570 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Accounting Schools to Providence

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer accounting programs near Providence, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Providence city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Providence. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Johnson & Wales University-Providence

Providence, RI 0.4 miles from Providence
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
33.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,418
Avg net price $31,027/yr
Tuition
In‑state$42,419
Out‑of‑state$42,419
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 68

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Johnson & Wales University-Online

Providence, RI 0.4 miles from Providence
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
28.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 29%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,418
Avg net price $20,252/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 53%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Providence College

Providence, RI 1.7 miles from Providence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
75.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 51%
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $87,054
Avg net price $48,523/yr
Tuition
In‑state$63,550
Out‑of‑state$63,550
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Rhode Island College

Providence, RI 2.8 miles from Providence
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
60.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 92%
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,318
Avg net price $9,478/yr
Tuition
In‑state$11,300
Out‑of‑state$27,299
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 106

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Rhode Island schools on the Rhode Island accounting page.

Accounting Wages Near Providence

Providence is part of the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area (BLS area code 39300). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Rhode Island statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Accountant and Auditor $95,020 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $93,340
Financial Manager $167,570 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $164,607
Financial Analyst $100,290 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $98,517
Budget Analyst $87,760 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $86,208
Tax Preparer $57,680 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $56,660
Tax Examiner and Collector $72,740 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $71,454
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk $54,630 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $53,664

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Providence at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 190,214 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $66,772 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 34.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 101.8 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Accounting-related employment in Providence County 2,509 workers, 404 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Providence-Area Cities With Accounting Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited accounting schools are near Providence, RI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering accounting programs near Providence. The closest is Johnson & Wales University-Providence in Providence, RI (0.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Community College of Rhode Island (8.3 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying accounting roles near Providence?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying accounting-related roles near Providence are: Financial Manager ($167,570), Financial Analyst ($100,290), Accountant and Auditor ($95,020). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Rhode Island statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in East Providence instead of Providence?

East Providence, RI is 3.4 miles from Providence and has its own set of local accounting programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Providence an affordable place to study accounting?

Providence’s median household income of $66,772 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Providence while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Rhode Island public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Accounting Programs

Other Programs Available in Providence

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Providence:

Data verified: September 6, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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