Rice vs Northwestern - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The data does not settle this one; the gaps on the axes that matter are too small to build anything on.
Both universities turn away more than nine applicants in ten (7.7% and 8%), so the outcome rests on how well your profile fits, not on the admission rate itself.
On SAT scores this is the same calibre of applicant: 1540 and 1540.
Both meet assessed financial need in full; the real cost therefore depends on your circumstances, not on tuition.
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
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
Northwestern is the more selective of the two (7.69% vs 8% acceptance). Northwestern ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#101-150 vs #33). Median earnings 10 years after enrollment are effectively tied ($90K vs $89K). Rice has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,497 vs $70,589 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 graduate earnings, lower tuition, a larger aid package.
Choose Northwestern for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, a higher graduation rate.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Northwestern is more selective (7.69% vs 8% acceptance).
Rice graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($90K vs $89K); Northwestern has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.1% vs 94.6%).
Rice has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,497 vs $70,589); Rice offers a larger average aid package ($69,040 vs $68,110).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Rice | Northwestern |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #101-150 | #33 |
| Rank · THE | - | #31 |
| Acceptance rate | 8% | 7.69% |
| Yield rate | 44.2% | 55.3% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1540 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 32,473 | 49,474 |
| International students | 13% | 11.8% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $90K | $89K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $63K | $61K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $144K | $139K |
| Graduation rate | 94.6% | 95.1% |
| Retention rate | 97.4% | 98% |
| Median debt | $11,000 | $15,000 |
| Tuition · year | $67,497 | $70,589 |
| Avg. aid package | $69,040 | $68,110 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $28,418 | $32,540 |
| Application fee | $75 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 8,961 | 23,431 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Rice or Northwestern?
It's harder to get into Northwestern. Rice accepts 8% of applicants, while Northwestern accepts 7.69%.
Do Rice or Northwestern graduates earn more?
Earnings are practically equal - 10 years after enrollment, the median is $90K at Rice and $89K at Northwestern.
How much is tuition at Rice vs Northwestern?
Sticker-price tuition is $67,497 per year at Rice and $70,589 per year at Northwestern.
What SAT score do you need for Rice or Northwestern?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Rice and 1540 at Northwestern; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Rice or Northwestern?
Northwestern ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #101-150 for Rice vs #33 for Northwestern.
Which university offers more financial aid - Rice or Northwestern?
The average aid package is $69,040 at Rice and $68,110 at Northwestern.
Harvard
Stanford
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Princeton
Yale
Cornell
Penn
Johns Hopkins
Washington University
North Carolina