About

About Rice University

highly selective admissionsstem focusedlow student faculty ratiohouston research hubresidential college system

Rice University is a private research university in Houston, TX, known for its highly selective admissions, stem focused, and low student faculty ratio. With an acceptance rate of 9%, Rice University is one of the most selective colleges in the United States, typically enrolling around 1,203 students each year. Rice University is test optional; students who submit scores are typically admitted with SATs between 1510–1560, though many competitive applicants choose not to submit. Rice University meets 100% of demonstrated financial need and has replaced loans with grants; for families earning under $75,000, the net cost is often $0.

Admissions

Rice University acceptance rate and admitted student profile

one of the most selective colleges in the United States

9%
Overall Accept Rate
1535
Median Admitted SAT
SATSubmitted score range: 1510 – 1560 (test optional)

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ACTScore range: 34 – 35

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ED advantage at Rice University: ED acceptance rate is 17% vs 9% regular decision, more than double. If Rice Universityis your first choice and you've confirmed the financial fit, Early Decision is one of the highest-leverage decisions you can make.

Application Strategy

Strategy tips for applying to Rice University

The first 2 tips apply to all applicants. Your personalized strategy requires your profile — build your free list to unlock it.

Essay Strategy
Rice's supplemental essays are weighted heavily in admissions decisions, so treat the 'Why Rice' essay as your most important piece of writing. Go beyond mentioning the residential college system and name specific professors, labs, or interdisciplinary programs like the Wiess Energy Hall or the D2K Data Science Lab that connect directly to your academic goals.
Application Strategy
Rice asks you to indicate a residential college preference, and while this is not binding, doing your research and explaining a genuine fit with a specific college (such as Lovett, Martel, or McMurtry) shows the kind of deep engagement that Rice's admissions team notices in competitive applicants.

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Financial Aid & Cost

What Rice University actually costs your family

Average net prices by income bracket from College Scorecard data.

Loan-free financial aid: Rice University has replaced all loans with grants. For families earning under $75,000, the average net annual cost is $0. Rice University's sticker price of ~$72k/year bears almost no resemblance to what most families pay.
Family IncomeSticker PriceEst. Net Cost / yr
0-30kOften $0~$72k/yr~$0 / yr
30k-48kOften $0~$72k/yr~$0 / yr
48k-75kOften $0~$72k/yr~$0 / yr
75k-110k~$72k/yr$17.8k
110k+~$72k/yr$48.5k

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Outcomes & Campus

Student outcomes and campus profile

96%
6-Year Graduation Rate
$80k
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
6:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
4,332
Undergrad Enrollment
Rice University Acceptance Rate & Admissions | SpearMatch