Rice University
HOUSTON, TX
Emory University
ATLANTA, GA
COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

Rice vs Emory - US university comparison

Rice University
RICE
Houston, TX
World rank · ARWU#101-150
Acceptance8%
Median SAT1540
Graduation rate94.6%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$90K
Emory University
EMORY
Atlanta, GA
World rank · ARWU#101-150
Acceptance10.29%
Median SAT1510
Graduation rate91.1%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$80K
🔒 UNDERGRADUATE 🔒 GRADUATE

KEY DATA

Rice University Emory University
#101-150 World rank · ARWU #101-150
- Rank · THE -
8% Acceptance rate 10.29%
1540 Median SAT 1510
94.6% Graduation rate 91.1%
8,961 Enrollment 15,179

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

8% Acceptance rate 10.29%
44.2% Yield rate 40.4%
1540 Median SAT 1510
- Avg. GPA 3.84
32,473 Number of applications 34,614
13% Int'l students 16.7%
$90K Median earnings · 10 yrs $80K
$63K Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs $58K
$144K Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs $120K
94.6% Graduation rate 91.1%
97.4% Retention rate 96%
$11,000 Median debt $18,250
$67,497 Tuition · year $68,056
$69,040 Avg. aid package $67,329
100% % of need met 99.9%
$28,418 Avg. graduate debt $24,562
$75 Application fee $75
$76,332 Avg. int'l aid $54,457
At a glance
Rice leads in 10 of 11 measured metrics
Debt$11,000 vs $18,250
Acceptance8% vs 10.29%
Grad. debt$28,418 vs $24,562

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: $67,497 and $68,056.

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 Rice for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.

Choose Emory for: lower graduate debt.

College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.

BY THE NUMBERS

Admissions

Rice is more selective (8% vs 10.29% acceptance); Rice has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1510).

Graduate outcomes

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%).

Cost and aid

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

$35k$76k$117k$158k$11k$35k$59k$83kRiceEmory TUITION · YEAR → MEDIAN EARNINGS · 10 YRS →
Each dot is a comparable US university; Rice and Emory highlighted. Up and to the left = better value ratio.

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric Rice Emory
World rank · ARWU#101-150#101-150
Rank · THE--
Acceptance rate8%10.29%
Yield rate44.2%40.4%
Median SAT15401510
Avg. GPA-3.84
Number of applications32,47334,614
International students13%16.7%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$90K$80K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs$63K$58K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs$144K$120K
Graduation rate94.6%91.1%
Retention rate97.4%96%
Median debt$11,000$18,250
Tuition · year$67,497$68,056
Avg. aid package$69,040$67,329
% of need met100%99.9%
Avg. graduate debt$28,418$24,562
Application fee$75$75
Enrollment8,96115,179

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is it harder to get into Rice or Emory?

It's harder to get into Rice. Rice accepts 8% of applicants, while Emory accepts 10.29%.

Do Rice or Emory graduates earn more?

Rice graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $90K vs $80K.

How much is tuition at Rice vs Emory?

Sticker-price tuition is $67,497 per year at Rice and $68,056 per year at Emory.

What SAT score do you need for Rice or Emory?

The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Rice and 1510 at Emory; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.

Which university offers more financial aid - Rice or Emory?

The average aid package is $69,040 at Rice and $67,329 at Emory.

Compare Rice with
Highest-ranked in ARWU. Click "↻ Change university" in the cards above to choose from all 47 universities (+35).
All metrics come 100% from College Council Atlas (canonical) - admissions, SAT, GPA, graduate outcomes, financial aid and costs from IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25; rankings from ARWU 2024 and THE 2025. Zero manual fields. "-" = not yet in canonical.