Rice University
Houston, TX · Private
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See the full analysis — freeAdmission rate
Rice University admitted 8.0% of applicants university-wide (2,948 of 36,791).
| Cohort | Admit rate | Admitted | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| University-wide | 8.0% | 2,948 | 36,791 |
| In-state | 8.0% | 847 | 10,610 |
| Out-of-state | 10.2% | 1,769 | 17,390 |
| International applicants | 3.8% | 332 | 8,791 |
| Early Decision (binding) | 11.3% | 647 | 5,748 |
| Men | 7.7% | 1,476 | 19,072 |
| Women | 8.3% | 1,472 | 17,712 |
Early Decision applicants were admitted at 11.3%, vs 8% overall — ED is a binding commitment.
Of 2,948 admitted students, 1,263 enrolled (42.8% yield).
Rice University Common Data Set 2025-2026 · Sections C1–C2 · 2025 — Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.
Test scores and GPA of admitted students
- SAT (mid-50%)
- 1510–1560
- ACT (mid-50%)
- 34–36
- GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
- 4.00–4.00
Testing policy: Recommended
Rice University Common Data Set 2025-2026 · Sections C9–C12 · 2025 — Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.
Cost and financial aid
Published cost of attendance: $92,149/yr.
| Out-of-state tuition | $65,280 |
| Fees, housing, food, books & other | $26,869 |
| Sticker cost of attendance | $92,149/yr |
Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)
| Under $30k | $5,827 |
| $30k–48k | $563 |
| $48k–75k | $3,217 |
| $75k–110k | $17,755 |
| Over $110k | $48,466 |
US applicants
Need- and merit-based aid available.
- Bonnie and John V. Townsend Scholarship — Full tuition and mandatory fees (Full Tuition)
- Distinguished Rice Scholar — Full tuition and mandatory fees (Full Tuition)
- George R. Brown Scholarship — Full tuition and mandatory fees (Full Tuition)
- Rice Grant — Varies (Need Based)
- Rice Honors Scholarship — Full tuition and mandatory fees (Full Tuition)
- Rice University Scholarship — Varies (up to full cost of attendance) (Full Ride)
International applicants
Meets full demonstrated need for internationals.
- Bonnie and John V. Townsend Scholarship — Full tuition and mandatory fees (Full Tuition)
- Distinguished Rice Scholar — Full tuition and mandatory fees (Full Tuition)
- George R. Brown Scholarship — Full tuition and mandatory fees (Full Tuition)
- Rice Grant — Varies (Need Based)
- Rice Honors Scholarship — Full tuition and mandatory fees (Full Tuition)
- Rice University Scholarship — Varies (up to full cost of attendance) (Full Ride)
Rice University Common Data Set 2025-2026 · Sections G–H · 2025
Application requirements
US applicants
- Common Application
- Rice writing supplement
- Official high school transcript
- School Counselor Recommendation
- Teacher Recommendation 1
- Teacher Recommendation 2
- Early Decision Agreement
- Architecture Portfolio
- Art Portfolio (optional)
- Shepherd School of Music Additional Materials
- Mid-Year Grades
- First Marking Period Grades (recommended)
- Interview (RAVA or current student) (recommended)
- Glimpse video (60-90 seconds) (optional)
- Supplemental Letter of Recommendation (optional)
- SAT or ACT scores (recommended)
- AP, IB, or AICE exam scores (optional)
- Rice Box image upload
- Application fee
International applicants
- Common Application
- Rice writing supplement
- Official high school transcript
- School Counselor Recommendation
- Teacher Recommendation 1
- Teacher Recommendation 2
- Early Decision Agreement
- Architecture Portfolio
- Art Portfolio (optional)
- Shepherd School of Music Additional Materials
- Mid-Year Grades
- First Marking Period Grades (recommended)
- Interview (RAVA or current student) (recommended)
- Glimpse video (60-90 seconds) (optional)
- Supplemental Letter of Recommendation (optional)
- SAT or ACT scores (recommended)
- AP, IB, or AICE exam scores (optional)
- Rice Box image upload
- Application fee
- English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
- GPA credential conversion
- Predicted Class XII marksheet
- Financial documentation (I-20)
Rice University · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025
Essay prompts
The Common App personal essay is required (one of 7 shared prompts), plus 7 college-specific supplements:
- Please explain why you wish to study in the academic areas you selected above.150 words · Required
- Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you?150 words · Required
- You can type directly into the box, or you can paste text from another source.500 words · Required
- Why are you determined to study architecture? Could you please elaborate on your past experiences and how they have motivated you to apply to Rice University and the School of Architecture in particular?250 words · Required
- Please expand on relevant experiences and motivations outside of your academic trajectory that have inspired you to study architecture, focusing on aspects that are not accommodated by other prompts in the application.250 words · Required
- <b>''The Box''</b>2000 words · Required
- <strong>Resume</strong>2000 words · Required
Draft these in the free Essay Coach
Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 3, 2026
Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings
- $89,718
- Median earnings · 10 years after entry
- Graduation rate
- 94.6%
- Within 150% of normal time
- First-year retention
- 96.8%
- Return for year two · CDS Section B
- Median debt
- $11,000
- At graduation
Rice University · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023 — Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.
Published rankings
- U.S. News National: #17
- WSJ: #26
- Forbes: #12
- Niche: #10
- QS: #119
Deadlines
- 2026-11-01Early Decision — Binding early round
- 2027-01-04Regular Decision — Standard deadline
Rice University Common Data Set 2025-2026 · Sections C21–C22 · 2025
Academics and campus
Largest degree fields: Biological & life sciences (14%), Engineering (13%), Computer & information sciences (12%).
Student–faculty ratio: 6:1 · 62% of class sections have under 20 students.
Rice University Common Data Set 2025-2026 · Sections E, F, I · 2025 — Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.