HMC vs. Rice

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

HMC Rice
Location Claremont, CA Houston, TX
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 949 8,556
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #9
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hmc.edu rice.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

HMC Rice
Tuition (In State) $65,954 $57,210
Tuition (Out of State) $65,954 $57,210
Room & Board $21,710 $15,900
Avg Net Price $42,720 $20,587
Avg Grant Aid $42,070 $53,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 57%

Admission

HMC Rice
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,792 31,059
Admitted 626 2,447
Acceptance Rate 13.1% 7.9%
Enrolled % 35.8% 46%
Avg High School GPA 3.96 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 34/36 34/36
SAT Range 1480/1560 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 Jan 5, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

HMC Rice
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (42%)
  • Physical Sciences (18%)
  • Mathematics (13%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

HMC Rice
Graduation Rate 84% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $84,900 $86,400
Making Student Loan Payments - 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,540 $10,227
Median Loan Payment $264 $105

Diversity

HMC Rice
% Men 3% 29%
% Women 1% 18%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 38% 37%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 13% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 4%
% International 13% 12%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

HMC Rice
% In-State 43% 35%
% Out-of-State 43% 48%

Campus

HMC 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

  • Rice University is larger than than HMC based on total student enrollment (8,556 students vs. 949 students)

HMC vs. Rice Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HMC or Rice?

  • Harvey Mudd College is 15.3% more expensive to attend than Rice for in-state tuition ($65,954.00 vs. $57,210.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.3% higher at HMC than Rice University ($65,954.00 vs. $57,210.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rice University than HMC ($20,587 vs. $42,720)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rice University are 36.5% lower than costs at Harvey Mudd College ($15,900 vs. $21,710)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvey Mudd College than Rice University (68% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rice University students is 27.2% larger than aid received Harvey Mudd College ($53,526 vs. $42,070)

HMC vs. Rice Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvey Mudd College (1484) is 2 points higher than at Rice (1482)
  • Incoming HMC students have at the same average ACT score (34) as students at Rice (34)
  • Accepted freshman HMC students have at the same average high school GPA (3.96) as students at Rice (3.96)
  • HMC has a higher acceptance rate (13.1%) than Rice (7.9%)

HMC vs. Rice Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, HMC 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 HMC.

  • The graduation rate at Rice is higher than Harvey Mudd College (92% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Rice University earn on average $1,500 more per year than HMC graduates after ten years. ($86,400 vs. $84,900)
  • Rice University students graduate with a $15,313 lower median federal student loan debt than HMC graduates. ($10,227 vs. $25,540)
  • Rice graduates are paying $159 less per month on federal student loans than HMC graduates. ($105 vs. $264)

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