Rice

Rice University

Rice
#191 / #67
Global Influence / U.S. Influence
#15
Most Desirable School
Private university in Houston, Texas, USA

Rice University Featured Rankings

About Rice University

By James Barham, PhD

Rice University was founded in 1912 as the William M. Rice Institute for the Advancement of Literature, Science, and Art. Long known simply as the Rice Institute, the school acquired its present name in 1960.

The institute’s founding took place under unusual and scandalous circumstances. Its founder, the Massachusetts–born William Marsh Rice, was a businessman who had made a large fortune in real estate, railroad development, and cotton trading, much of it in the state of Texas.

Towards the end of his life, Rice decided that his estate should be directed after his death to the establishment in Houston of a tuition-free institution of higher learning of highest academic caliber.

In 1900, at age 84, Rice was found dead in his bed by his valet. It was then discovered that his will had been changed to leave everything to his New York–based attorney. It subsequently came out that the lawyer had changed the will on his own and conspired with the valet, who murdered Rice by administering chloroform to him in his sleep.

Eventually, the valet turned state’s evidence, the lawyer was tried and found guilty of murder, and Rice’s original wishes for the disposal of his estate were finally put into effect. The Rice Institute opened its doors in 1912, on the twelfth anniversary of his murder.

During the 1960s, Rice established a close relationship with NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center (now the Johnson Space Center), which remains strong to this day.

Rice remains a small and highly selective institution, with a little over 7000 students. The school operates on the honor code system (without proctored examinations).

There are three Rice-connected Nobel laureates, namely the astrophysicist Robert W. Wilson, and the chemists Richard Smalley and Robert Curl.

Other prominent Rice-associated individuals include the following:

  • Novelists, Joyce Carol Oates and Larry McMurtry
  • Journalist and columnist, Candace Bushnell
  • Screenwriter, William Broyles, Jr.
  • Aviator, Film director, Business magnate, and Philanthropist, Howard Hughes
  • Mathematicians, George Mackey, Béatrice Rivière, George Piranian, Dennis Sullivan, Jack Morava, & Shelly Harvey
  • Astronomer, James Gunn
  • Physicist, John G. Cramer
  • Chemist, Fred C. Koch
  • Chemical engineer, Jay Bailey
  • Nanotechnology pioneer, James Tour
  • Neuroscientist, David Eagleman
  • Biomedical engineer, Antonios Mikos
  • Computer scientists, Krishna Palem & Lydia Kavraki
  • Biochemist and astronaut, Peggy Whitson
  • CBS News President, David Rhodes
  • Former US Attorney General, Alberto Gonzalez

According to Wikipedia, Rice University, formally William Marsh Rice University, is a private research university in Houston, Texas, United States. It sits on a 300-acre campus adjacent to the Houston Museum District and the Texas Medical Center.

Rice University's Online Degrees

MBA in Business Administration
  • Required Credits: 54
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported
MS in Computer Science
  • Required Credits: 30
  • Completion Time: None Reported
  • Format: None Reported

Rice University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information

Annual ApplicationsAcceptanceGraduation RateMedian SAT ScoreMedian ACT Score
31,4439%94%153035

How Much Does Rice University Cost To Attend?

Tuition (in-state)
$54,960
Price by Family Income
IncomeAverage Net Cost
0 - 30K$5,292
30K - 48K$4,126
48K - 75K$6,905
75K - 110K$13,245
110K+$43,636

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

How Much Do Rice University Graduates Make?

If you graduate from Rice University, then you can expect to earn an average of $91,600 per year. You also have a 91% chance of being employed after 10 years.

Rice University's Demographics

Demographic data is for full-time, on-campus students.

Student BodyUnder-GradsGraduates
8,7824,5104,272

Where is Rice University?

Rice University is located at 6100 S Main St, Houston TX 77005-1827

How Safe is Rice University?

Rice University has a violent crime rate of less than .01% and a property crime rate of less than .01%.

What Is Rice University Known For?

Rice University is known for it's academic work in the following disciplines:

Rice University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered

Chemistry
#85
World Rank
#114
Historical Rank
#23
USA Rank
chemistry Degrees
Mathematics
#114
World Rank
#147
Historical Rank
#36
USA Rank
math Degrees
Engineering
#124
World Rank
#144
Historical Rank
#38
USA Rank
engineering Degrees
Physics
#129
World Rank
#173
Historical Rank
#38
USA Rank
physics Degrees
Computer Science
#109
World Rank
#109
Historical Rank
#46
USA Rank
computer-science Degrees
Economics
#220
World Rank
#241
Historical Rank
#58
USA Rank
economics Degrees
Philosophy
#220
World Rank
#229
Historical Rank
#65
USA Rank
philosophy Degrees
Business
#183
World Rank
#184
Historical Rank
#72
USA Rank
business Degrees
History
#200
World Rank
#216
Historical Rank
#80
USA Rank
history Degrees
Earth Sciences
#328
World Rank
#304
Historical Rank
#84
USA Rank
earth-science Degrees
Religious Studies
#384
World Rank
#408
Historical Rank
#86
USA Rank
religious-studies-hub Degrees
Education
#301
World Rank
#306
Historical Rank
#89
USA Rank
education Degrees
Political Science
#308
World Rank
#323
Historical Rank
#92
USA Rank
political-science Degrees
Biology
#293
World Rank
#265
Historical Rank
#95
USA Rank
biology Degrees
Literature
#254
World Rank
#307
Historical Rank
#101
USA Rank
literature Degrees
Anthropology
#301
World Rank
#323
Historical Rank
#111
USA Rank
anthropology Degrees
Medical
#357
World Rank
#364
Historical Rank
#121
USA Rank
medicine Degrees
Sociology
#485
World Rank
#497
Historical Rank
#138
USA Rank
sociology Degrees
Psychology
#319
World Rank
#325
Historical Rank
#139
USA Rank
psychology Degrees

Who Are Rice University's Most Influential Alumni?

Rice University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Computer Science, Chemistry, and Engineering. Here are some of Rice University's most famous alumni:

Herman Daly
Herman Daly
An American economist.
Joyce Carol Oates
Joyce Carol Oates
An American author.
Robert Woodrow Wilson
Robert Woodrow Wilson
An American astronomer.
Dennis Sullivan
Dennis Sullivan
An American mathematician.
Robert Curl
Robert Curl
An American chemist.
Matthew Sands
Matthew Sands
An American accelerator physicist .
George Mackey
George Mackey
An American mathematician.
William Sims Bainbridge
William Sims Bainbridge
An American sociologist.
Thomas W. Malone
Thomas W. Malone
An American business theorist.
David Eagleman
David Eagleman
An American neuroscientist and author.
John Morgan
An American mathematician.
Henry M. Morris
Henry M. Morris
An American young earth creationist and Christian apologist.

Who Are Rice University's Most Influential Faculty?

Rice University's most influential faculty include professors in the fields of Computer Science, Chemistry, and Engineering. Here are some of Rice University's most famous alumni:

David Bartel
An American biochemist.
Hadley Wickham
Hadley Wickham
A New Zealand statistician.
Claire Bowern
An Australian linguist.
Bun B
An American rapper.
Erez Lieberman Aiden
Erez Lieberman Aiden
An American scientist.
David Applegate
An American mathematician.
D. Michael Lindsay
D. Michael Lindsay
A President of Gordon College.
James McLurkin
An American engineer.
Mary Czerwinski
An American cognitive scientist.
Larry Temkin
An American philosopher.
Mark Embree
An American mathematician.
Suzanne Keen
A Researcher ORCID ID = 0000-0002-0124-0415.