Rice vs. SU

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

 Rice SU
Location Houston, TX Georgetown, TX
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 8,556 1,457
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #9 #189
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rice.edu southwestern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Rice SU
Tuition (In State) $57,210 $50,558
Tuition (Out of State) $57,210 $50,558
Room & Board $15,900 $13,628
Avg Net Price $20,587 $30,687
Avg Grant Aid $53,526 $32,956
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 99%

Admission

 Rice SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 31,059 6,585
Admitted 2,447 2,573
Acceptance Rate 7.9% 39.1%
Enrolled % 46% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.96 3.5
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Extreme High
ACT Range 34/36 24/30
SAT Range 1500/1570 1170/1340
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, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Rice SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

 Rice SU
Graduation Rate 92% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $86,400 $57,400
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $10,227 $26,893
Median Loan Payment $105 $278

Diversity

 Rice SU
% Men 29% 0%
% Women 18% 0%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 37% 62%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 14% 22%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 12% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 Rice SU
% In-State 35% 89%
% Out-of-State 48% 9%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rice University is larger than than SU based on total student enrollment (8,556 students vs. 1,457 students)

Rice vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rice or SU?

  • Rice University is 13.2% more expensive to attend than SU for in-state tuition ($57,210.00 vs. $50,558.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.2% higher at Rice than Southwestern University ($57,210.00 vs. $50,558.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rice University than SU ($20,587 vs. $30,687)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwestern University are 16.7% lower than costs at Rice University ($13,628 vs. $15,900)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southwestern University than Rice University (99% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rice University students is 62.4% larger than aid received Southwestern University ($53,526 vs. $32,956)

Rice vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rice University (1482) is 314 points higher than at SU (1168)
  • Incoming Rice students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at SU (26)
  • Accepted freshman Rice students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at SU (3.5)
  • SU has a higher acceptance rate (39.1%) than Rice (7.9%)

Rice vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rice or SU? 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 SU and Rice.

  • The graduation rate at Rice is higher than Southwestern University (92% vs. 73%)
  • Graduates from Rice University earn on average $29,000 more per year than SU graduates after ten years. ($86,400 vs. $57,400)
  • Rice University students graduate with a $16,666 lower median federal student loan debt than SU graduates. ($10,227 vs. $26,893)
  • Rice graduates are paying $173 less per month on federal student loans than SU graduates. ($105 vs. $278)
  • More Rice graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 80%)

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