Massachusetts vs Rhode Island: Scholarship Climate 2026
Which climate fits best? Massachusetts offers a larger number of scholarships with a higher average award, making it more suitable for applicants seeking substantial financial aid. Rhode Island, while having fewer opportunities, offers competitive average awards, appealing to those focused on specific local scholarships.
State A
Massachusetts
State B
Rhode Island
Quick comparison
| Metric | Massachusetts | Rhode Island |
|---|---|---|
| Active scholarships in catalog | 268 | 47 |
| Avg. award (where known) | $3,188 | $3,318 |
| Max indexed award | $100,000 | $17,000 |
Financial Aid Overview for 2026
In 2026, Massachusetts presents a robust scholarship climate with a total of 149 grants available, averaging $2,552.85 per award, and a maximum award size of $40,000. The top institutions include Worcester State University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, providing numerous opportunities for students.
Conversely, Rhode Island offers a more limited scholarship landscape, with only 37 grants available. The average award size is slightly higher at $3,227.03, with a maximum of $17,000. Notable scholarship sources include the Rhode Island Foundation, although the number of grants is significantly lower compared to Massachusetts.
Top Scholarship Providers in Massachusetts
Ranked by number of active scholarships
- 233 grants
- 47 grants
- 42 grants
- 41 grants
- 22 grants
Top Scholarship Providers in Rhode Island
Ranked by number of active scholarships
- 8 grants
- 2 grants
- 2 grants
- 1 grant
- 1 grant
Match workspace
Find scholarships that fit your profile
Scholarship climate by state
Massachusetts
Massachusetts has a vibrant scholarship climate with many opportunities and higher average awards, making it ideal for applicants seeking significant financial assistance.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island's scholarship climate is more limited, but it offers competitive average awards, suitable for applicants focused on specific local scholarships.
Public reference data
Cost of living & wages
State-level affordability context to complement scholarship climate above - not ScholarshipTop grant totals.
Visual comparison
Median household income
Census ACSFair market rent (2BR)
HUD monthly estimateLiving wage
Single adult, MIT modelBLS median wage
State occupational estimateMassachusetts
Median household income
$103,563
Census ACS
Fair market rent (2BR)
$2,161
HUD monthly estimate
Living wage
29.13/hr
Single adult, MIT model
BLS median wage
$63,590
State occupational estimate
Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 26.85 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.
Public planning context
Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.
CDC SVI band
middle indicator band
ADI band
lower indicator band
SVI counties
14
ADI counties
14
- CDC SVI county data is available for 14 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
- ADI block-group data is available across 14 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.
Rhode Island
Median household income
$86,394
Census ACS
Fair market rent (2BR)
$1,873
HUD monthly estimate
Living wage
26.01/hr
Single adult, MIT model
BLS median wage
$56,780
State occupational estimate
Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 17.45 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.
Public planning context
Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.
CDC SVI band
lower indicator band
ADI band
middle indicator band
SVI counties
5
ADI counties
5
- CDC SVI county data is available for 5 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
- ADI block-group data is available across 5 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.
Sources: Census ACS, HUD FMR, MIT Living Wage, BLS OEWS, and public reference datasets where available. Rent figures may reflect metro or state averages.
Public safety context uses aggregate public data and is included only as planning context.
Reference only - not ScholarshipTop eligibility rules or guarantees.
Data availability varies by school, city, state, and source year.
FAQ
What is the average scholarship amount in Massachusetts?
How many scholarships are available in Rhode Island?
Which university in Massachusetts has the most scholarships?
What is the maximum scholarship amount in Rhode Island?
Sources and official pages
Official and high-authority pages used to support this State vs State comparison.
- Federal Student Aid (U.S. Department of Education) - government reference
- College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education) - government reference
- NCES College Navigator - government reference
- Massachusetts and Rhode Island scholarship search reference - high-authority reference
More guides around this State vs State comparison
Internal reading paths around scholarship search, application strategy, and essay preparation for students comparing Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
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