USC vs. Rice

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

USC Rice
Location Los Angeles, CA Houston, TX
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 48,945 8,672
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #34 #9
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usc.edu rice.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USC Rice
Tuition (In State) $63,468 $54,100
Tuition (Out of State) $63,468 $54,100
Room & Board $17,436 $15,000
Avg Net Price $36,808 $19,902
Avg Grant Aid $45,262 $51,955
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 56%

Admission

USC Rice
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 69,062 31,443
Admitted 8,304 2,730
Acceptance Rate 12% 8.7%
Enrolled % 41.2% 44.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 32/35 34/36
SAT Range 1450/1550 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 1, 2025

Academics

USC Rice
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

USC Rice
Graduation Rate 90% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,500 $86,400
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,375 $10,227
Median Loan Payment $231 $105

Diversity

USC Rice
% Men 46% 57%
% Women 54% 43%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 40% 37%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 14% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 13% 12%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

USC Rice
% In-State 42% 36%
% Out-of-State 40% 47%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Southern California is larger than than Rice based on total student enrollment (48,945 students vs. 8,672 students)

USC vs. Rice Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USC or Rice?

  • University of Southern California is 17.3% more expensive to attend than Rice for in-state tuition ($63,468.00 vs. $54,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.3% higher at USC than Rice University ($63,468.00 vs. $54,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rice University than USC ($19,902 vs. $36,808)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rice University are 16.2% lower than costs at University of Southern California ($15,000 vs. $17,436)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than Rice University (71% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rice University students is 14.8% larger than aid received University of Southern California ($51,955 vs. $45,262)

USC vs. Rice Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rice University (1482) is 91 points higher than at USC (1391)
  • Incoming Rice students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at USC (32)
  • Accepted freshman Rice students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at USC (3.83)
  • USC has a higher acceptance rate (12%) than Rice (8.7%)

USC vs. Rice Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USC 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 USC.

  • The graduation rate at Rice is higher than University of Southern California (92% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from Rice University earn on average $900 more per year than USC graduates after ten years. ($86,400 vs. $85,500)
  • Rice University students graduate with a $12,148 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($10,227 vs. $22,375)
  • Rice graduates are paying $126 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($105 vs. $231)
  • More Rice graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 81%)

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