Rice: the complete school report for parents
Rice rates 9 of the 18 admission factors Very Important, among them course rigor, GPA and test scores. This is a genuinely holistic review. Rice admits fewer than 1 in 10 applicants, and scores are optional but help when they are strong. Major matters more than the name on the diploma here: five years out, Computer and Information Sciences, General graduates earn a median $213,603 against $60,641 for English Language and Literature, General.
Rice is officially Rice University. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-09-20.
Is Rice a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Rice against the figures above. No account needed.
What does Rice actually weigh in admissions?
Rice rates 9 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA, test scores, the essay, extracurricular activities, recommendations, personal qualities, talent, class rank. It does not consider 1 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Rice's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How Rice rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Very Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Very Important |
| the essay | Very Important |
| extracurricular activities | Very Important |
| recommendations | Very Important |
| personal qualities | Very Important |
| talent | Very Important |
| class rank | Very Important |
| demonstrated interest | Considered |
| the interview | Considered |
| legacy | Considered |
| first-generation status | Considered |
| geography | Considered |
| state residency | Considered |
| volunteer work | Considered |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does Rice consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The senior-year schedule should keep its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
Does Rice consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Rice consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. A score at or above the middle-50 range is close to expected here.
Does Rice consider the application essay?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The essay is doing as much work as the transcript.
Does Rice consider extracurricular activities?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Rice consider recommendation letters?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Rice consider character and personal qualities?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Rice consider a special talent or ability?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Rice consider class rank?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Rice consider demonstrated interest?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Rice consider an interview?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Rice consider legacy status?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. It can act as a tiebreaker but will not carry a weak application.
Does Rice consider being first-generation?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. Say so on the application; it is read as context.
Does Rice consider where we live?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Rice consider state residency?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Rice consider volunteer work?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Rice consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Rice consider religious affiliation?
No. Rice does not consider it.
What is the Rice waitlist really like?
Rice offered a place on its waiting list to 3,196 applicants and 2,204 accepted one. 66 were ultimately admitted. That is 3.0% of those who waited.
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
Rice admitted 7.5% of 1,675 transfer applicants, against 8.0% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 3.2.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
Rice reports its early rounds below.
| Regular application deadline | January 4 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | April 1 |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | Yes |
| Early Decision deadline | November 1 |
| Early Decision II offered | Yes |
| Early Decision II deadline | January 4 |
| Early Action offered | No |
| Application fee | $75 |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What does my child need to take in high school?
Rice requires 16 academic units. A college-preparatory program is recommended. A GED is accepted.
| Subject | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 years | Not stated |
| Mathematics | 3 years | Not stated |
| Science | 2 years | Not stated |
| Foreign language | 2 years | Not stated |
| History | 3 years | Not stated |
What will Rice actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $13,370 a year at Rice after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $71,170. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 100% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 74 merit awards averaging $34,586 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
12% of Rice graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $26,491 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $117 a month in repayment. Rice’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from Rice pay off?
Graduates earn a median $89,718 ten years after entering, and $79,751 at six years. 88% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 87% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
$213,603 to $60,641, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Rice:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $213,603 | 121 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $139,102 | 49 |
| Chemical Engineering | $117,477 | 25 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $105,734 | 60 |
| Economics | $104,828 | 75 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $89,863 | 34 |
| Political Science and Government | $87,237 | 37 |
| Cognitive Science | $71,816 | 48 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $71,586 | 104 |
| Psychology, General | $67,648 | 77 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $67,158 | 38 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $60,641 | 31 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
97% of first-years return for a second year. 95% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 94.8% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 95.6% of everyone else, a gap of 0.8 points.
How big are the classes?
62% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 2% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 6:1, and 84% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
What is life at Rice like?
4,807 undergraduates, 59% of first-years from out of state. 99% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 59% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 0% of men join a fraternity and 0% of women a sorority. 14% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $77,707.
What this means for your student
- Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
- The waitlist is live but thin: 66 of 2,204 who waited were admitted, about 3%.
- Its highest-earning major returns $213,603 five years out against $60,641 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about Rice
Does the Rice waitlist move?
2,204 students accepted a place on the Rice waiting list and 66 were admitted in the 2025-2026 cycle.
What do Rice graduates earn?
Rice graduates earn a median $89,718 ten years after entering, and 88% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with Rice
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: Rice’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.