Best Computer Science Schools Near Cranston, RI (2026)

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

Cranston, Rhode Island has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs, with tuition ranging from $5,550 to $80,466 per year for indexed programs. Cranston has a population of about 82,632. Median household income is $87,716 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area, the top-earning computer science-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $171,220 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Computer Science Schools to Cranston

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer computer science programs near Cranston, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Cranston 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 Cranston. 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 5.3 miles from Cranston
  • 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 5.3 miles from Cranston
  • 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

Rhode Island College

Providence, RI 5.4 miles from Cranston
  • 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

#4

Providence College

Providence, RI 5.9 miles from Cranston
  • 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

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#5

Brown University

Providence, RI 5.9 miles from Cranston
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
84.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 5%
Graduation rate 96%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $93,487
Avg net price $25,184/yr
Tuition
In‑state$71,412
Out‑of‑state$71,412
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 99%
  • Programs offered: 101

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

New England Institute of Technology

East Greenwich, RI 7.2 miles from Cranston
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
62.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 67%
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,684
Avg net price $36,483/yr
Tuition
In‑state$37,275
Out‑of‑state$37,275
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 59%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Roger Williams University

Bristol, RI 14.1 miles from Cranston
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
58.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $70,266
Avg net price $37,999/yr
Tuition
In‑state$44,418
Out‑of‑state$44,418
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Rhode Island

Kingston, RI 19.5 miles from Cranston
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
74.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 72%
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,743
Avg net price $21,440/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,942
Out‑of‑state$37,146
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 129

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 computer science page.

Computer Science Wages Near Cranston

Cranston 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)
Software Developer $130,690 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $128,379
Computer Systems Analyst $128,580 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $126,306
Computer Network Architect $131,320 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $128,998
Database Administrator $102,310 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $100,501
Database Architect $142,070 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $139,558
Information Security Analyst $109,940 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $107,996
Computer Network Support Specialist $82,560 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $81,100
Computer User Support Specialist $62,410 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $61,306
Web Developer $98,140 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $96,405
Web and Digital Interface Designer $93,020 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $91,375
Computer and Information Systems Manager $171,220 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $168,193

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.

Cranston at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 82,632 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $87,716 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 35.8% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 101.8 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Computer Science-related employment in Providence County 3,700 workers, 1,250 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Cranston-Area Cities With Computer Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited computer science schools are near Cranston, RI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs near Cranston. The closest is Community College of Rhode Island in Warwick, RI (3.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Providence College (5.9 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying computer science roles near Cranston?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying computer science-related roles near Cranston are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($171,220), Database Architect ($142,070), Computer Network Architect ($131,320). 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 Warwick instead of Cranston?

Warwick, RI is 4.9 miles from Cranston and has its own set of local computer science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Cranston an affordable place to study computer science?

Cranston’s median household income of $87,716 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Cranston 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 Computer Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Cranston

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

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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