More selective than 100% of Texas colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $79,788. College Scorecard.
Higher than 99% of Texas colleges we cover and 98% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 97% of Texas colleges we cover and 96% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Rice University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 31,059 applicants, Rice University admitted 2,447 and 1,125 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1510–1570 on the SAT or 34–35 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Rice University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: Texas residents with financial need attending eligible private nonprofit Texas colleges may receive a Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG); amounts are set each year. Not included in the prices above. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (College for All Texans)
What Rice University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Rice University took 4.1 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Texas. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $5,827 | $23,774 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $563 | $2,297 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $3,217 | $13,125 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $17,755 | $72,440 | 1.3 years |
| $110k+ | $48,466 | $197,741 | 3.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (89% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($89,718) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TX (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $56,202 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Rice University majors, earnings & careers
Rice University offers 55 bachelor's majors across 8 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 14
- Humanities & Languages · 13
- Engineering · 11
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 6
- Business & Finance · 4
- Arts & Design · 3
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
Highest-earning majors at Rice University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $182,443 | $12,381 |
| Electrical Engineering | $136,656 | — |
| Economics | $129,575 | $11,289 |
| Biomedical Engineering | $121,099 | — |
| Chemical Engineering | $113,605 | $13,178 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $108,970 | $15,375 |
| Political Science | $87,804 | — |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $87,404 | $10,000 |
Quick list of all 55 majors
- Anthropology—
- Applied Mathematics—
- Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation—
- Architectural Sciences and Technology—
- Architecture—
- Area Studies—
- Astronomy and Astrophysics—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology—
- Biomedical Engineering$121,099
- Business—
- Business Administration—
- Chemical Engineering$113,605
- Chemistry—
- Civil Engineering—
- Classical and Ancient Studies—
- Classics—
- Cognitive Science$66,913
- Computer and Information Sciences$182,443
- Data Analytics—
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology—
- Economics$129,575
- Electrical and Computer Engineering—
- Electrical Engineering$136,656
- English—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- German—
- Health Sciences—
- History—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$87,404
- Linguistics—
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering$108,970
- Medieval and Renaissance Studies—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Nanotechnology—
- Neuroscience—
- Operations Research—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Physiology—
- Political Science$87,804
- Psychology—
- Public Policy Analysis—
- Religious Studies—
- Social Sciences—
- Sociology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Statistics—
- Studio Art—
- Visual and Performing Arts—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Computer and Information Sciences → Software developer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Chemical Engineering → Chemical engineer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 4.7% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Houston
Overall prices in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,497. Housing costs 5% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 55 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: hurricane (very high); tornado (very high); river flooding (very high); coastal flooding (relatively high); heat wave (very high); winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Harris County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Harris County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Rice University with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Texas by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice University | 8% | $13,370 | 95% | $89,718 | This school |
| Trinity University | 26% | $23,464 | 84% | $71,668 | |
| Southwestern University | 43% | $29,224 | 73% | $56,878 | |
| LeTourneau University | 38% | $28,185 | 59% | $57,103 | |
| Southern Methodist University | 63% | $40,892 | 84% | $78,354 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Rice University would cost you $10,094 less per year than Trinity University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Rice University, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$10,468).
- Rice University gives aided families $21,658 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Texas resident | Rice University | Trinity University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $64,144 | $53,676 | +$10,468 |
| Books & supplies | $1,400 | $1,000 | +$400 |
| Housing & meals | $15,900 | $14,472 | +$1,428 |
| Personal & travel | $2,850 | $1,400 | +$1,450 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$4,506 | −$2,324 | −$2,182 |
| Sticker price | $79,788 | $68,224 | +$11,564 |
| Average grants | −$66,418 | −$44,760 | −$21,658 |
| You pay | $13,370 | $23,464 | −$10,094 |
“+” means Rice University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Rice University
What is the Rice University acceptance rate?
Rice University accepts 8% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 2,447 of 31,059 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1510–1570 on the SAT or 34–35 on the ACT.
How much does Rice University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $79,788 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $13,370 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $5,827 and families earning $110k+ pay $48,466.
How much do Rice University graduates earn?
Former Rice University students earn a median $89,718 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Rice University graduation rate?
95% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 97% return for their second year.
How long does a Rice University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Rice University costs about $13,125 after grants ($3,217 a year for 4.1 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $89,718 ten years after starting, $56,202 more than high school graduates in Texas ($33,516), so the cost is repaid in under 1 year of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is Rice University the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing Rice University with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Rice University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/rice-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).