Ruggiero has been acting since the age of seven or eight. He has starred in many plays including Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Bye Bye Birdie. After initially auditioning for the role of Craig Manning (a role played by Jake Epstein), he joined the Degrassi cast in 2002 in the role of Marco Del Rossi, a gay teenager who struggles with coming to terms with his sexuality. Ruggiero hosted The Next Star from 2008 until 2012. In November 2008, it was announced that Ruggiero would star in the gay-themed Christmas film Make the Yuletide Gay. Principal filming started December 3, 2008.
Ruggiero is currently starring in the Young People's Theatre's production of The Neverending Story.