Is Emory or Rice harder to get into?

Rice is harder to get into than Emory. Rice's 8.0% acceptance rate is lower than Emory's 10.7%.

Which is cheaper, Emory or Rice?

Rice costs less on average. After grants and scholarships, Rice's average net price is $13,370 vs $22,585 at Emory.

Which has higher post-graduation earnings, Emory or Rice?

Rice graduates earn more on average. Median earnings 10 years after entry are $80,137 at Emory and $89,718 at Rice.

Emory vs. Rice: Acceptance Rate, SAT, Cost & Outcomes Compared

Metric	Emory	Rice
Acceptance rate	10.7%	8.0%
SAT mid-50%	1470–1550	1510–1570
ACT mid-50%	32–35	34–35
Cost of attendance	$83,622	$79,788
Avg net price (after aid)	$22,585	$13,370
Undergrad enrollment	7,298	4,776
6-yr graduation rate	91.1%	94.6%
Median earnings (10yr)	$80,137	$89,718
Setting	Atlanta, Georgia	Houston, Texas

The Real Differences

Rice is modestly harder to get into. The 2.6-point gap matters at the margin but doesn't change the overall difficulty tier. Both schools draw similar applicant pools and admit similar profiles.

Rice is significantly cheaper after aid. The average net price gap is $9,215 per year, $36,860 over four years. For most families that difference is the deciding factor when both schools admit you.

Rice graduates earn $9,581 more on average at the 10-year mark. This usually reflects major distribution more than school quality — schools that concentrate in CS, engineering, and finance pull higher medians than schools with more humanities and social science graduates. Emory grads' earnings within the same major category are typically comparable.

Emory is substantially larger with 7,298 undergrads vs 4,776 at Rice. Bigger universities have more major options and broader research opportunities; smaller ones offer more access to faculty and tighter-knit communities.

Geographic difference matters more than the campus tour suggests. Emory is in Atlanta, Georgia; Rice is in Houston, Texas. Climate, cost-of-living, and proximity to job markets in your target field shape the four-year experience and post-grad pipeline more than most prospective students realize.

Student Body Composition

The two schools have different student body compositions. Emory is 56.8% women, 15.8% international, and 25.1% Asian-American. Rice is 49.6% women, 12.8% international, and 29.1% Asian-American.

Demographic	Emory	Rice
Women	56.8%	49.6%
International	15.8%	12.8%
White	29.9%	25.6%
Asian	25.1%	29.1%
Hispanic	12.1%	16.7%
Black	10.4%	7.9%

Personalized estimate

What are your odds at Emory vs. Rice?

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The Verdict

Pick Emory if

Your odds are realistic at Emory (slightly easier admit)
the Emory and Oxford College campuses

Pick Rice if

Net price matters: Rice costs $9,215 less per year on average
Higher median post-grad earnings ($89,718 vs $80,137)
Higher 6-year graduation rate
the residential college system

Headline numbers favor one school or the other on each axis, but neither is unambiguously “better.” The right answer depends on your major fit, geographic preference, financial need, and personal odds at each. Most applicants who get into one of these schools also get into the other.

Full School Pages

For complete admissions data, supplemental essay strategy, and class profile breakdowns:

Full profile

Emory University

10.7% accept · Atlanta, Georgia

Full profile

Rice University

8.0% accept · Houston, Texas

Sources

U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard for acceptance rates, test ranges, financial aid, demographics, completion, and earnings.
IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) for the underlying federal data.
Each school's most recent published Common Data Set for cycle-specific admissions stats.

Last verified May 2026. Stats reflect each school's most recent publicly published admit cycle.

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