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Texas A&M TCU SMU Vanderbilt UT Austin Duke Trinity WUSTL Emory UT Dallas Johns Hopkins Texas Tech| Baylor University | Rice University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Baylor | Rice | ||
| Location | Waco, TX | Houston, TX | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 20,824 | 8,556 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #166 | #9 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Baptist | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | baylor.edu | rice.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Baylor | Rice | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $54,844 | $57,210 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $54,844 | $57,210 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,235 | $15,900 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $49,727 | $20,587 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $20,409 | $53,526 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 57% |
Admission |
Baylor | Rice | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 39,735 | 31,059 | ||
| Admitted | 20,262 | 2,447 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 51% | 7.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.4% | 46% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.74 | 3.96 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 27/32 | 34/36 | ||
| SAT Range | 1210/1400 | 1500/1570 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Feb 1, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Baylor | Rice | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 6:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Baylor | Rice | ||
| Graduation Rate | 72% | 92% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $56,200 | $86,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 73% | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $10,227 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $105 |
Diversity |
Baylor | Rice | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 9% | 29% | ||
| % Women | 18% | 18% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 64% | 37% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 14% | 14% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 3% | 12% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 2% |
Students |
Baylor | Rice | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 60% | 35% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 37% | 48% | ||
Campus |
Baylor | Rice | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Baylor University is larger than than Rice based on total student enrollment (20,824 students vs. 8,556 students)
Baylor vs. Rice Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Baylor or Rice?
- Rice University is 4.3% more expensive to attend than Baylor for in-state tuition ($57,210.00 vs. $54,844.00)
- Out of state tuition is 4.3% higher at Rice than Baylor University ($57,210.00 vs. $54,844.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rice University than Baylor ($20,587 vs. $49,727)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Baylor University are 11.7% lower than costs at Rice University ($14,235 vs. $15,900)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Baylor University than Rice University (97% vs. 57%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Rice University students is 162.3% larger than aid received Baylor University ($53,526 vs. $20,409)
Baylor vs. Rice Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Baylor or Rice? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Rice or Baylor .
- The average SAT score at Rice University (1482) is 243 points higher than at Baylor (1239)
- Incoming Rice students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Baylor (28)
- Accepted freshman Rice students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Baylor (3.74)
- Baylor has a higher acceptance rate (51%) than Rice (7.9%)
Baylor vs. Rice Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Baylor or Rice? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Rice and Baylor.
- The graduation rate at Rice is higher than Baylor University (92% vs. 72%)
- Graduates from Rice University earn on average $30,200 more per year than Baylor graduates after ten years. ($86,400 vs. $56,200)
- Rice University students graduate with a $14,773 lower median federal student loan debt than Baylor graduates. ($10,227 vs. $25,000)
- Rice graduates are paying $153 less per month on federal student loans than Baylor graduates. ($105 vs. $258)
- More Rice graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Baylor students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 73%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/