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TCU Baylor Vanderbilt UT Austin Duke UT Dallas WUSTL Texas A&M Emory Tulane Johns Hopkins Stanford| Rice University | Southern Methodist University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Rice | SMU | ||
| Location | Houston, TX | Dallas, TX | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 8,672 | 12,053 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #9 | #67 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | United Methodist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | rice.edu | smu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Rice | SMU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $54,100 | $55,012 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $54,100 | $55,012 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,000 | $17,750 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,902 | $45,094 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $51,955 | $35,344 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 56% | 73% |
Admission |
Rice | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 31,443 | 16,150 | ||
| Admitted | 2,730 | 8,439 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 8.7% | 52.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 44.1% | 19.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.96 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 34/36 | 31/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1490/1570 | 1370/1510 | ||
| 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 1, 2025 | Jan 15, 2025 |
Academics |
Rice | SMU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Rice | SMU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 92% | 75% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $86,400 | $73,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $10,227 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $105 | $222 |
Diversity |
Rice | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 57% | 50% | ||
| % Women | 43% | 50% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 37% | 65% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 14% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 12% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 0% |
Students |
Rice | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 36% | 38% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 47% | 58% | ||
Campus |
Rice | SMU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Southern Methodist University is larger than than Rice based on total student enrollment (12,053 students vs. 8,672 students)
Rice vs. SMU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Rice or SMU?
- Southern Methodist University is 1.7% more expensive to attend than Rice for in-state tuition ($55,012.00 vs. $54,100.00)
- Out of state tuition is 1.7% higher at SMU than Rice University ($55,012.00 vs. $54,100.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rice University than SMU ($19,902 vs. $45,094)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rice University are 18.3% lower than costs at Southern Methodist University ($15,000 vs. $17,750)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Methodist University than Rice University (73% vs. 56%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Rice University students is 47% larger than aid received Southern Methodist University ($51,955 vs. $35,344)
Rice vs. SMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Rice or SMU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SMU or Rice .
- The average SAT score at Rice University (1482) is 152 points higher than at SMU (1330)
- Incoming Rice students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at SMU (30)
- Accepted freshman Rice students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at SMU (3.68)
- SMU has a higher acceptance rate (52.3%) than Rice (8.7%)
Rice vs. SMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Rice or SMU? 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 SMU and Rice.
- The graduation rate at Rice is higher than Southern Methodist University (92% vs. 75%)
- Graduates from Rice University earn on average $13,400 more per year than SMU graduates after ten years. ($86,400 vs. $73,000)
- Rice University students graduate with a $11,273 lower median federal student loan debt than SMU graduates. ($10,227 vs. $21,500)
- Rice graduates are paying $117 less per month on federal student loans than SMU graduates. ($105 vs. $222)
- More Rice graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 76%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/