Rice vs. SMU

Should I go to Rice University or Southern Methodist University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Rice or SMU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Rice University vs. Southern Methodist University comparison
Rice University Southern Methodist University College 3 College 4
Rice University Southern Methodist University
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Overview

Rice SMU
Location Houston, TX Dallas, TX
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 8,672 12,053
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #9 #67
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rice.edu smu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Rice SMU
Tuition (In State) $54,100 $55,012
Tuition (Out of State) $54,100 $55,012
Room & Board $15,000 $17,750
Avg Net Price $19,902 $45,094
Avg Grant Aid $51,955 $35,344
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 73%

Admission

Rice SMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 31,443 16,150
Admitted 2,730 8,439
Acceptance Rate 8.7% 52.3%
Enrolled % 44.1% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.96 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 34/36 31/34
SAT Range 1490/1570 1370/1510
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2024 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

Rice SMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

Rice SMU
Graduation Rate 92% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $86,400 $73,000
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $10,227 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $105 $222

Diversity

Rice SMU
% Men 57% 50%
% Women 43% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 37% 65%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 14% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 12% 8%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

Rice SMU
% In-State 36% 38%
% Out-of-State 47% 58%

Campus

Rice SMU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Southern Methodist University is larger than than Rice based on total student enrollment (12,053 students vs. 8,672 students)

Rice vs. SMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rice or SMU?

  • Southern Methodist University is 1.7% more expensive to attend than Rice for in-state tuition ($55,012.00 vs. $54,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.7% higher at SMU than Rice University ($55,012.00 vs. $54,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rice University than SMU ($19,902 vs. $45,094)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rice University are 18.3% lower than costs at Southern Methodist University ($15,000 vs. $17,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Methodist University than Rice University (73% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rice University students is 47% larger than aid received Southern Methodist University ($51,955 vs. $35,344)

Rice vs. SMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Rice or SMU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SMU or Rice .

  • The average SAT score at Rice University (1482) is 152 points higher than at SMU (1330)
  • Incoming Rice students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at SMU (30)
  • Accepted freshman Rice students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at SMU (3.68)
  • SMU has a higher acceptance rate (52.3%) than Rice (8.7%)

Rice vs. SMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rice or SMU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between SMU and Rice.

  • The graduation rate at Rice is higher than Southern Methodist University (92% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from Rice University earn on average $13,400 more per year than SMU graduates after ten years. ($86,400 vs. $73,000)
  • Rice University students graduate with a $11,273 lower median federal student loan debt than SMU graduates. ($10,227 vs. $21,500)
  • Rice graduates are paying $117 less per month on federal student loans than SMU graduates. ($105 vs. $222)
  • More Rice graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 76%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/