Overview
Enrollment
Rice University occupies a 300-acre campus in Houston's Museum District, located four miles from downtown in Texas's largest city. Founded in 1912 as the William Marsh Rice Institute, the campus is characterized by Byzantine-style architecture with sand-colored brick buildings and extensive green spaces beneath oak trees. The private research university maintains a selective undergraduate admission process and is organized into eight schools, with particular academic strengths in engineering, architecture, natural sciences, and social sciences. The residential college system houses all undergraduate students in eleven distinct residential communities where they live and dine throughout their academic career. Rice competes in NCAA Division I athletics as the Owls, participating in Conference USA with notable programs in baseball and basketball.
Ratings
Overall
Academics
Resources
Outcomes
Value
Rice is rated within the top 3% of four-year colleges nationally and earns a CollegeSimply grade of 10 out of 10. Learn how ratings are calculated
Rankings
Rankings for Rice University within the 2024 CollegeSimply Best Colleges Lists.
#9 in Best Colleges in the U.S.
#9 in Best Private Colleges in the U.S.
#1 in Best Colleges in Texas
#1 in Best Private Colleges in Texas
#8 in Best Value Colleges in the U.S.
#1 in Best Value Colleges in Texas
View the CollegeSimply ranking methodology.
Getting In
Admission Standards
| SAT | 1490/1570 |
| ACT | 34/36 |
| Estimated GPA | 3.96 |
Applications Accepted
| Applications Due | Jan 1, 2025 |
| Applicant Competition | Extreme |
| Application Fee | $75 |
Annual Cost to Attend
Tuition
| Fee | Cost |
|---|---|
| Books and Supplies | $1,350 |
| Other Fees | $860 |
| Room and Board | $15,000 |
| Budget for Other Expenses | $2,800 |
| Total One Year Cost | $74,110 |
Outcomes
Average Salary After 10 Years
Bachelor's Degree Graduation Rate
Popular Areas of Study
| Subject | Percent of Class |
|---|---|
| Social Sciences | 18% |
| Engineering | 18% |
| Biology | 10% |
| Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies | 7% |
| Visual and Performing Arts | 6% |
Other Colleges to Consider
Students considering Rice are frequently interested in these similar colleges.
Questions and Answers
CollegeSimply Advisor posts about Rice University.
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=227757 IPEDS survey data for Rice University.
Current students may use the Rice University GPA calculator to determine their current college GPA.
Last updated February 24, 2024