Baylor vs. Rice

Should I go to Baylor University or Rice University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Baylor or Rice is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Baylor University vs. Rice University comparison
Baylor University Rice University College 3 College 4
Baylor University Rice University
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Overview

Baylor Rice
Location Waco, TX Houston, TX
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 20,709 8,672
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #145 #9
Religious Affiliation Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website baylor.edu rice.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Baylor Rice
Tuition (In State) $51,738 $54,100
Tuition (Out of State) $51,738 $54,100
Room & Board $13,587 $15,000
Avg Net Price $45,988 $19,902
Avg Grant Aid $22,553 $51,955
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 56%

Admission

Baylor Rice
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,753 31,443
Admitted 18,699 2,730
Acceptance Rate 45.9% 8.7%
Enrolled % 17.6% 44.1%
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 28/33 34/36
SAT Range 1230/1410 1490/1570
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, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Baylor Rice
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (28%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

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 39% 57%
% Women 61% 43%
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 54% 36%
% Out-of-State 43% 47%

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 (20,709 students vs. 8,672 students)

Baylor vs. Rice Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Baylor or Rice?

  • Rice University is 4.6% more expensive to attend than Baylor for in-state tuition ($54,100.00 vs. $51,738.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.6% higher at Rice than Baylor University ($54,100.00 vs. $51,738.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rice University than Baylor ($19,902 vs. $45,988)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Baylor University are 10.4% lower than costs at Rice University ($13,587 vs. $15,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Baylor University than Rice University (96% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rice University students is 130.4% larger than aid received Baylor University ($51,955 vs. $22,553)

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 (45.9%) than Rice (8.7%)

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/