Rice vs Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
These are two different admissions games: Rice admits 8% of applications, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admits 63.5%.
The share of international students differs sharply: 13% (Rice) against 2.2% (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute).
For an applicant from outside the US the difference is financial: Rice awards international students $76,332 on average, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute awards $48,307.
Ten years on, graduates of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn noticeably more: $102K against $90K.
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 63.5% acceptance). Rice ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#101-150 vs #501-600). Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($102K vs $90K). Rice has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,497 vs $67,976 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 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for: higher graduate earnings.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Rice is more selective (8% vs 63.5% acceptance); Rice has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1456).
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($102K vs $90K); Rice has a higher 6-year graduation rate (94.6% vs 83.6%).
Rice has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,497 vs $67,976); Rice offers a larger average aid package ($69,040 vs $50,402).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Rice | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #101-150 | #501-600 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 8% | 63.5% |
| Yield rate | 44.2% | 14.4% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1456 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 3.93 |
| Number of applications | 32,473 | 14,356 |
| International students | 13% | 2.2% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $90K | $102K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $63K | $71K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $144K | $137K |
| Graduation rate | 94.6% | 83.6% |
| Retention rate | 97.4% | 91% |
| Median debt | $11,000 | $23,750 |
| Tuition · year | $67,497 | $67,976 |
| Avg. aid package | $69,040 | $50,402 |
| % of need met | 100% | 66.2% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $28,418 | $39,539 |
| Application fee | $75 | $70 |
| Enrollment | 8,961 | 7,042 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Rice or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
It's harder to get into Rice. Rice accepts 8% of applicants, while Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute accepts 63.5%.
Do Rice or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates earn more?
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $102K vs $90K.
How much is tuition at Rice vs Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
Sticker-price tuition is $67,497 per year at Rice and $67,976 per year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
What SAT score do you need for Rice or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Rice and 1456 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Rice or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
Rice ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #101-150 for Rice vs #501-600 for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Which university offers more financial aid - Rice or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?
The average aid package is $69,040 at Rice and $50,402 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
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