Duke vs. Rice

Should I go to Duke University or Rice University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Duke 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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Duke University vs. Rice University comparison
Duke University Rice University College 3 College 4
Duke University Rice University
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Overview

 Duke Rice
Location Durham, NC Houston, TX
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 18,023 8,672
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #3 #9
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website duke.edu rice.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Duke Rice
Tuition (In State) $60,435 $54,100
Tuition (Out of State) $60,435 $54,100
Room & Board $16,651 $15,000
Avg Net Price $23,694 $19,902
Avg Grant Aid $57,444 $51,955
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 56%

Admission

 Duke Rice
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,016 31,443
Admitted 3,174 2,730
Acceptance Rate 6.3% 8.7%
Enrolled % 55% 44.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 34/36
SAT Range 1490/1570 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 Jan 3, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

 Duke Rice
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Human Services (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 Duke Rice
Graduation Rate 94% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $108,900 $86,400
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $10,227
Median Loan Payment $77 $105

Diversity

 Duke Rice
% Men 45% 57%
% Women 55% 43%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 37%
% Black 10% 7%
% Hispanic 7% 14%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 10% 12%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 Duke Rice
% In-State 12% 36%
% Out-of-State 74% 47%

Campus

 Duke Rice
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Duke University is larger than than Rice based on total student enrollment (18,023 students vs. 8,672 students)

Duke vs. Rice Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Duke or Rice?

  • Duke University is 11.7% more expensive to attend than Rice for in-state tuition ($60,435.00 vs. $54,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.7% higher at Duke than Rice University ($60,435.00 vs. $54,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rice University than Duke ($19,902 vs. $23,694)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rice University are 11% lower than costs at Duke University ($15,000 vs. $16,651)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rice University than Duke University (56% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Duke University students is 10.6% larger than aid received Rice University ($57,444 vs. $51,955)

Duke vs. Rice Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Duke or Rice? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Rice or Duke .

  • The average SAT score at Rice University (1482) is 32 points higher than at Duke (1450)
  • Incoming Rice students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Duke (33)
  • Accepted freshman Rice students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Duke (3.94)
  • Rice has a higher acceptance rate (8.7%) than Duke (6.3%)

Duke vs. Rice Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Duke 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 Duke.

  • The graduation rate at Duke is higher than Rice University (94% vs. 92%)
  • Graduates from Duke University earn on average $22,500 more per year than Rice graduates after ten years. ($108,900 vs. $86,400)
  • Duke University students graduate with a $2,727 lower median federal student loan debt than Rice graduates. ($7,500 vs. $10,227)
  • Duke graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than Rice graduates. ($77 vs. $105)
  • More Duke graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rice students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 87%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/