Rice: What the Numbers Actually Say
Rice reports zero fraternity and zero sorority membership — not a gap in the data, an actual policy. Every undergraduate is assigned to a residential college for four years, and that structure absorbs the role Greek life plays elsewhere. Around it sits one of the lowest student–faculty ratios in the country, one of the lowest borrowing rates, and an admissions office that says it reads the whole person more explicitly than almost any peer.
Rice admitted 8% of 36,791 applicants. The average net price after aid is $13,370 — cheaper than 79.3% of American colleges — only 12% of students borrow, and the student–faculty ratio is 5.61:1.
At a glance
| William Marsh Rice | US median | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Houston, TX | |
| Undergraduates | 4,807 | |
| Acceptance rate | 8% | |
| Applicants / admits | 36,791 / 2,948 | |
| Middle 50% SAT | 1500–1570 | |
| Middle 50% ACT | 34–36 | |
| Student–faculty ratio | 5.61:1 | |
| Average net price after aid | $13,370 | $20,150 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs out | $89,718 | $53,038 |
| Median debt at graduation | $11,000 | $23,000 |
US medians are across every college reporting the figure to the College Scorecard — roughly 1,700 for net price and 1,800 for earnings.
Campus: residential colleges, no Greek system
Rice reports 0% fraternity and 0% sorority membership. In their place, every undergraduate joins one of its residential colleges on arrival and stays for four years — the social structure is assigned rather than rushed. 99% of first-years live on campus, across 4,807 undergraduates, and 13% of them arrive from outside the US.
The teaching numbers match the intimacy: a 5.61:1 student–faculty ratio — among the lowest of any university in the country — with 61.6% of course sections under 20 students.
Admissions: six factors weighted unusually
Rice drew 36,791 applications and admitted 2,948 — 8% — with 42.8% of admits enrolling. The early round is binding Early Decision.
| Application factor | William Marsh Rice says | How common that is |
|---|---|---|
| Academic GPA | Very important | 91% of schools say the same |
| Application Essay | Very important | 34% of schools say the same |
| Character/personal qualities | Very important | 27% of schools say the same |
| Class rank | Very important | only 17% of schools say the same |
| Extracurricular activities | Very important | only 18% of schools say the same |
| Recommendation(s) | Very important | 32% of schools say the same |
| Rigor of secondary school record | Very important | 87% of schools say the same |
| Standardized test scores | Very important | 26% of schools say the same |
| Talent/ability | Very important | only 14% of schools say the same |
| First generation | Important | only 7% of schools say the same |
| Interview | Important | only 11% of schools say the same |
| Level of applicant's interest | Important | only 10% of schools say the same |
| Alumni/ae relation | Considered | 40% of schools say the same |
| Volunteer work | Considered | 66% of schools say the same |
| Work experience | Considered | 69% of schools say the same |
| Geographical residence | Not considered | 62% of schools say the same |
| Religious affiliation/commitment | Not considered | 89% of schools say the same |
| State residency | Not considered | 57% of schools say the same |
The school’s own ratings from its Common Data Set filing, set against the 362 filings in our dataset. Bold rows are ratings fewer than a quarter of schools share — the places this school’s process is genuinely unusual. Declared weight is not submission policy; requirements change year to year and should be checked directly.
Six bold rows, the second-widest set profiled here. Rice rates first-generation status important (7% of schools do), demonstrated interest important (10%), the interview important (11%), and talent, class rank and extracurriculars at the top of its scale. If you want a school where visiting, interviewing and making a specific case genuinely move the file, its own filing says Rice is one.
The admitted middle 50% runs 740–770 on SAT reading and 760–800 on maths, with 59% of enrolled first-years having submitted an SAT score — a share that describes the class, not the current submission rules.
Cost
The sticker is about $94,224; the average net price after grants is $13,370. Rice meets 100% of demonstrated need with an average first-year grant of $73,663, and only 12% of students borrow at all — one of the lowest rates profiled here.
| Family income | William Marsh Rice | US median |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $5,827 / year | $15,238 |
| $30,000 – $48,000 | $563 / year | $15,431 |
| $48,000 – $75,000 | $3,217 / year | $17,510 |
| $75,000 – $110,000 | $17,755 / year | $21,308 |
| Over $110,000 | $48,466 / year | $25,893 |
Average net price actually paid by aided US students at each income level, from the College Scorecard. Sticker price is what almost nobody at these income levels pays.
Outcomes
Median earnings, 10 years after entry · US median $53,038
Earnings of students from the lowest-income third · US median $42,600
Average net price after aid · US median $20,150
Median debt at graduation · US median $23,000
Bar length is the share of US colleges this school beats on each measure; the tick marks the national median. Price and debt are inverted, so a longer bar is always the better outcome. Source: College Scorecard.
Median earnings reach $89,718 ten years after enrolling, and students from the lowest-income third of families are earning a mean $86,100 a decade after they started. 95.3% graduate within six years, and the median graduate leaves owing $11,000.
How William Marsh Rice compares
Frequently asked questions
What is Rice’s acceptance rate?
8%. Rice received 36,791 applications and admitted 2,948 students; 42.8% of those admitted enrolled.
Does Rice have Greek life?
No. Rice reports 0% fraternity and 0% sorority membership. Every undergraduate is instead assigned to a residential college for all four years, which takes on the social role Greek organisations play elsewhere.
How much does Rice actually cost?
An average $13,370 a year after grants — cheaper than 79.3% of American colleges — against a sticker of about $94,224. Rice meets 100% of demonstrated need, and only 12% of students borrow.
Does demonstrated interest matter at Rice?
Yes — Rice rates an applicant’s level of interest important, a weight only about one school in ten declares, and rates interviews the same. Engagement is worth real effort here.
How small are Rice’s classes?
Its 5.61:1 student–faculty ratio is among the lowest of any university in the country, and 61.6% of course sections enrol fewer than 20 students.
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