Rice University
Houston, Texas
A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.
Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
The numbers behind the verdict
Lifetime ROI: the long view
Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.
Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.
Equity & access
Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.
27% gap between the two groups
4% gap between the two groups
Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.
Net price by family income
What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.
| Family income | Average net price / yr |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30k | $5,827 |
| $30k–$48k | $563 |
| $48k–$75k | $3,217 |
| $75k–$110k | $17,755 |
| $110k+ | $48,466 |
How Rice University compares
This college against the Texas and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.
Graduate earnings over time
Median earnings of Rice University students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.
Best-paying majors at Rice University
Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.
| Major | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Associate's | $213,603 | $12,373 | +5,296% | Strong return |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Associate's | $139,102 | — | +3,419% | Strong return |
| Chemical Engineering | Associate's | $117,477 | $13,178 | +2,198% | Strong return |
| Economics | Associate's | $104,828 | $11,644 | +1,831% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Certificate | $176,396 | $41,000 | +1,820% | Strong return |
| Mechanical Engineering | Associate's | $105,734 | $15,375 | +1,778% | Strong return |
| Civil Engineering | Associate's | $94,796 | — | +1,762% | Strong return |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Associate's | $89,863 | — | +1,578% | Strong return |
| Political Science and Government | Associate's | $87,237 | — | +1,480% | Strong return |
| History | Associate's | $85,817 | — | +1,426% | Strong return |
| Sociology | Associate's | $68,737 | — | +788% | Strong return |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Associate's | $71,586 | $10,000 | +775% | Strong return |
| Cognitive Science | Associate's | $71,816 | $13,000 | +752% | Strong return |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | Associate's | $67,158 | $7,500 | +652% | Strong return |
| Psychology, General | Associate's | $67,648 | $12,505 | +624% | Strong return |
| English Language and Literature, General | Associate's | $60,641 | — | +485% | Strong return |
| Music | Certificate | $36,730 | $27,000 | -231% | Poor return |
Calculate your own ROI
Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.
ROI at Rice University
Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.
Admissions & profile
Location
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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