Stanford vs Rice University

Stanford University and Rice University, both renowned for their academic excellence and vibrant campus life, offer distinct experiences to prospective students. Stanford, situated in the heart of Silicon Valley, boasts a lower acceptance rate, a larger endowment, and a more diverse student body. Rice, located in the vibrant city of Houston, offers a smaller student-to-faculty ratio, a higher graduation rate, and a strong focus on undergraduate research. While Stanford is known for its strength in engineering, computer science, and business, Rice excels in engineering, natural sciences, and social sciences. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details and discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Rice University logo

Rice University

Stanford University logo

Stanford University

Overview

Location Houston, Texas Stanford, California
Campus setting City: Large Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 97.0% 98.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 9.5% 3.9%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $85
Undergraduate: $90

Graduate: $125
SAT range 1490 - 1570 1470 - 1570
ACT range 34 - 35 34 - 35
Students submitting SAT score 46.0% 15.0%
Students submitting ACT score 29.0% 11.0%
Total number of applicants 29,544 55,471
Total number of admissions given out 2,802 2,190
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,226 1,757
Yield rate 43.8% 80.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $71,745 $78,898
Average net price $18,521 $14,402
Tuition $52,070 $55,473
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $10,100

Meal plan: $4,700
Room/dormitory: $11,166

Meal plan: $6,694
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

61.0%
Average amount $51,036
61.0%
Average amount $56,211
Students receiving federal student loan 9.0%
Average amount $4,982
5.0%
Average amount $5,151
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $24,340
1.0%
Average amount $17,186

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 4,247
Men 51.5% Women 48.5%
7,645
Men 49.4% Women 50.6%
Graduate students 4,038
Men 63.9% Women 36.1%
10,035
Men 56.5% Women 43.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 56.1% 58.5%
International students 25.5% 24.4%
Campus local/setting City: Large Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 3,533 14,621
First year students are required to live on campus? No Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Texas California New York Florida Illinois California Texas Washington New York Illinois

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Social Sciences
  • Physical Science
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Physical Science
Students to faculty ratio 6:1 5:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 92.3% 95.5%
Dropout rate 6.9% 1.7%
Transferred out N/A 0.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $122,770
  • Year 2: $129,481
  • Year 3: $145,256
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $128,659
  • Year 2: $127,993
  • Year 3: $134,258
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,801
  • Year 2: $83,915
  • Year 3: $92,763
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $87,989
  • Year 2: $72,884
  • Year 3: $81,590
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,400
  • Year 2: $68,219
  • Year 3: $76,594
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $49,840
  • Year 3: $61,295
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $50,231
  • Year 3: $59,421
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,232
  • Year 2: $35,060
  • Year 3: $52,284
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,009
  • Year 2: $46,087
  • Year 3: $46,363
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,474
  • Year 2: $30,119
  • Year 3: $45,615
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $151,574
  • Year 2: $170,457
  • Year 3: $210,837
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $159,729
  • Year 2: $168,942
  • Year 3: $203,193
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $164,734
  • Year 2: $163,337
  • Year 3: $187,054
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $137,457
  • Year 2: $150,874
  • Year 3: $173,548
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $136,126
  • Year 2: $136,499
  • Year 3: $165,375
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $128,556
  • Year 2: $135,709
  • Year 3: $157,500
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $123,354
  • Year 2: $106,421
  • Year 3: $139,234
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,326
  • Year 2: $111,435
  • Year 3: $126,185
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $108,457
  • Year 2: $90,856
  • Year 3: $107,477
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,475
  • Year 2: $85,391
  • Year 3: $104,592

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