Rice University

10/10 Overall Rating
4 Year
Houston, TX
5.0 2 reviews

#9 Best Colleges in America

Overview Admission Cost Majors Diversity Outcomes Salaries Location Compare Reviews Admission Calculator

Overview

Total enrollment

8,961

Location Houston, Texas
Website rice.edu
Type Private 4 Year
Setting Large City

Best Colleges Rank

Size Mid-size
Status Non-profit
Housing Yes
Level of Study Undergrad/Graduate

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.

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Ratings

Rice is rated within the top 3% of four-year colleges nationally and earns a CollegeSimply grade of 10 out of 10.

Overall Rating

10 out of 10
Academics

10 out of 10
Resources

10 out of 10
Outcomes

10 out of 10
Value

10 out of 10

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Rankings

Rankings for Rice University within the 2027 CollegeSimply Best Colleges Lists.

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Admissions

Admission Standards

Exceptional

SAT (enrolled mid-50) 1510/1570
ACT (enrolled mid-50) 34/35

Acceptance Rate

Applications Due Jan 1, 2027
Enrollment Rate 44.2%
Application Fee $75

Applicant Competition Extreme

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Annual Cost to Attend

Tuition

$64,144

Costs for Rice University
Fee		Cost
Tuition		$64,144
Books and Supplies		$1,440
Other Fees		$1,270
Room and Board		$18,100
Budget for Other Expenses		$4,140
Total One Year Cost		$89,094

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Student Outcomes

Average Salary After 10 Years

$86,400 per year

Bachelor's Degree Graduation Rate

92% within 6 years

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Popular Areas of Study

Popular majors at Rice University are Social Sciences, Engineering, and Biology. 18% of students major in Social Sciences, 18% in Engineering, and 10% in Biology.