Rice vs Yale - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
On paper the cheaper option is Rice: $67,497 against $72,500, which is $5,003 less a year.
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Yale: $101K against $90K.
Both universities turn away more than nine applicants in ten (4.7% 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.
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
Yale is the more selective of the two (4.7% vs 8% acceptance). Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#101-150 vs #11). Yale graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($101K vs $90K). Rice has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,497 vs $72,500 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: lower tuition.
Choose Yale for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Yale is more selective (4.7% vs 8% acceptance).
Yale graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($101K vs $90K); Yale has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.7% vs 94.6%).
Rice has lower sticker-price tuition ($67,497 vs $72,500); Yale offers a larger average aid package ($74,353 vs $69,040).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Rice | Yale |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #101-150 | #11 |
| Rank · THE | - | #10 |
| Acceptance rate | 8% | 4.7% |
| Yield rate | 44.2% | 68.4% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1540 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 32,473 | 50,264 |
| International students | 13% | 10.6% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $90K | $101K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $63K | $66K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $144K | $194K |
| Graduation rate | 94.6% | 95.7% |
| Retention rate | 97.4% | 99.4% |
| Median debt | $11,000 | $12,975 |
| Tuition · year | $67,497 | $72,500 |
| Avg. aid package | $69,040 | $74,353 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $28,418 | $22,185 |
| Application fee | $75 | $80 |
| Enrollment | 8,961 | 15,657 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Rice or Yale?
It's harder to get into Yale. Rice accepts 8% of applicants, while Yale accepts 4.7%.
Do Rice or Yale graduates earn more?
Yale graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $101K vs $90K.
How much is tuition at Rice vs Yale?
Sticker-price tuition is $67,497 per year at Rice and $72,500 per year at Yale.
What SAT score do you need for Rice or Yale?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Rice and 1540 at Yale; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Rice or Yale?
Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #101-150 for Rice vs #11 for Yale.
Which university offers more financial aid - Rice or Yale?
The average aid package is $69,040 at Rice and $74,353 at Yale.
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