Emory vs Rice - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
Real money goes to international students at Rice ($76,332 on average), while Emory stops at $54,457.
The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Rice: $90K against $80K.
Candidates with higher SAT scores go to Rice: a midpoint of 1540 against 1510, a difference of 30 points.
The price list does not separate these two: $68,056 and $67,497.
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Rice is the more selective of the two (8% vs 10.29% acceptance). Rice graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($90K vs $80K). Rice has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,497 vs $68,056 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Emory for: lower graduate debt.
Choose Rice for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Rice is more selective (8% vs 10.29% acceptance); Rice has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1510).
Rice graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($90K vs $80K); Rice has a higher 6-year graduation rate (94.6% vs 91.1%).
Rice has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,497 vs $68,056); Rice offers a larger average aid package ($69,040 vs $67,329).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Emory | Rice |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #101-150 | #101-150 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 10.29% | 8% |
| Yield rate | 40.4% | 44.2% |
| Median SAT | 1510 | 1540 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.84 | - |
| Number of applications | 34,614 | 32,473 |
| International students | 16.7% | 13% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $80K | $90K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $58K | $63K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $120K | $144K |
| Graduation rate | 91.1% | 94.6% |
| Retention rate | 96% | 97.4% |
| Median debt | $18,250 | $11,000 |
| Tuition · year | $68,056 | $67,497 |
| Avg. aid package | $67,329 | $69,040 |
| % of need met | 99.9% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $24,562 | $28,418 |
| Application fee | $75 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 15,179 | 8,961 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Emory or Rice?
It's harder to get into Rice. Emory accepts 10.29% of applicants, while Rice accepts 8%.
Do Emory or Rice graduates earn more?
Rice graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $90K vs $80K.
How much is tuition at Emory vs Rice?
Sticker-price tuition is $68,056 per year at Emory and $67,497 per year at Rice.
What SAT score do you need for Emory or Rice?
The median admitted SAT score is 1510 at Emory and 1540 at Rice; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university offers more financial aid - Emory or Rice?
The average aid package is $67,329 at Emory and $69,040 at Rice.
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