North Central vs Rice University
North Central College and Rice University, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. North Central, a private liberal arts college in Naperville, Illinois, boasts a tight-knit community with a focus on undergraduate education. Rice, a private research university in Houston, Texas, is renowned for its academic rigor and world-class research opportunities. While both institutions offer a diverse range of academic programs, North Central's popular majors include business, education, and nursing, while Rice excels in engineering, natural sciences, and social sciences. With acceptance rates of 75% and 15%, respectively, and graduation rates of 70% and 93%, these universities cater to different student demographics and aspirations. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which institution aligns best with your academic goals and personal preferences.
|
![]() North Central College |
![]() Rice University |
---|---|---|
Overview |
||
Location | Naperville, Illinois | Houston, Texas |
Campus setting | City: Midsize | City: Large |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 77.0% | 97.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | Methodism | |
|
||
Admission |
||
Acceptance rate | 68.4% | 9.5% |
Application fees | $25 |
Undergraduate:
$75
Graduate:
$85
|
SAT range | 1030 - 1230 | 1490 - 1570 |
ACT range | 22 - 28 | 34 - 35 |
Students submitting SAT score | 43.0% | 46.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 17.0% | 29.0% |
Total number of applicants | 4,551 | 29,544 |
Total number of admissions given out | 3,113 | 2,802 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 512 | 1,226 |
Yield rate | 16.4% | 43.8% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Required | Not required |
Recommendation letters | Not required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Required |
|
||
Tuition and Fees |
||
Sticker price | $61,098 | $71,745 |
Average net price | $26,207 | $18,521 |
Tuition | $42,026 | $52,070 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$7,998
Meal plan:
$3,890
|
Room/dormitory:
$10,100
Meal plan:
$4,700
|
Available payment plans |
|
|
|
||
Financial Aid |
||
Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
100.0%
Average amount $28,670 |
61.0%
Average amount $51,036 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
60.0%
Average amount $5,156 |
9.0%
Average amount $4,982 |
Students taking out private loans |
25.0%
Average amount $6,992 |
2.0%
Average amount $24,340 |
|
||
Students and Campus |
||
Undergraduate students |
2,404
Men 48.4% Women 51.6% |
4,247
Men 51.5% Women 48.5% |
Graduate students |
324
Men 29.3% Women 70.7% |
4,038
Men 63.9% Women 36.1% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
|
Moderate
|
Out-of-state students | 26.8% | 56.1% |
International students | 3.7% | 25.5% |
Campus local/setting | City: Midsize | City: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 1,333 | 3,533 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | Illinois Wisconsin Indiana Ohio Michigan | Texas California New York Florida Illinois |
|
||
Academics |
||
Popular study areas |
|
|
Students to faculty ratio | 13:1 | 6:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Higher Learning Commission | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
|
||
Outcome |
||
Graduation rate | 64.4% | 92.3% |
Dropout rate | 35.1% | 6.9% |
Transferred out | N/A | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Master's Degrees)
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor's Degrees)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Compare Similar Colleges
The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing
statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you
don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page.
There, you can search for the
specific colleges and initiate your comparison.








































































































































































































































































































