Rice vs Boston College - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Rice admits 8%, Boston College admits 16.2%.
The more international environment is at Rice (13% international students) than Boston College (6.6%).
For an applicant from outside the US the difference is financial: Rice awards international students $76,332 on average, Boston College awards $39,634.
The tuition gap is $6,011 a year: $67,497 (Rice) against $73,508.
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 16.19% acceptance). Rice ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#101-150 vs #501-600). Boston College graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($104K vs $90K). Rice has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,497 vs $73,508 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 Rice for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, a higher graduation rate.
Choose Boston College for: higher graduate earnings, lower graduate debt.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Rice is more selective (8% vs 16.19% acceptance); Rice has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1500).
Boston College graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($104K vs $90K); Rice has a higher 6-year graduation rate (94.6% vs 90.8%).
Rice has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,497 vs $73,508); Rice offers a larger average aid package ($69,040 vs $61,753).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Rice | Boston College |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #101-150 | #501-600 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 8% | 16.19% |
| Yield rate | 44.2% | 42.5% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1500 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 32,473 | 34,779 |
| International students | 13% | 6.6% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $90K | $104K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $63K | $68K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $144K | $162K |
| Graduation rate | 94.6% | 90.8% |
| Retention rate | 97.4% | 96% |
| Median debt | $11,000 | $19,000 |
| Tuition · year | $67,497 | $73,508 |
| Avg. aid package | $69,040 | $61,753 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $28,418 | $24,892 |
| Application fee | $75 | - |
| Enrollment | 8,961 | 14,726 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Rice or Boston College?
It's harder to get into Rice. Rice accepts 8% of applicants, while Boston College accepts 16.19%.
Do Rice or Boston College graduates earn more?
Boston College graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $104K vs $90K.
How much is tuition at Rice vs Boston College?
Sticker-price tuition is $67,497 per year at Rice and $73,508 per year at Boston College.
What SAT score do you need for Rice or Boston College?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Rice and 1500 at Boston College; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Rice or Boston College?
Rice ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #101-150 for Rice vs #501-600 for Boston College.
Which university offers more financial aid - Rice or Boston College?
The average aid package is $69,040 at Rice and $61,753 at Boston College.
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