Rice University is a small, private, four-year institution of higher education located in Houston, Texas, a city of approximately 2.3 million people and the fourth most populous city in the United States. Comprising 8 academic schools – Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences – Rice aspires to conduct groundbreaking research, offer unsurpassed teaching, and make valuable contributions to the betterment of our world. We seek to fulfill this mission by fostering a collaborative culture that encourages investigators to work across disciplinary boundaries to create an environment of discovery, catalyze innovative research and teaching, and, in turn, produce leaders across the spectrum of human endeavor.
Faculty members
Contributing to this effort are 865 full-time faculty members, each of whom sparks the intellectual excitement of a major research university. The quantity, quality, and impact of their scholarly publications have resulted in Rice being ranked 18th among the best universities in the nation. This productivity has translated into significant research dollars; in academic year 2023-24, Rice faculty generated approximately $192 million in annual sponsored program revenues. Because of factors such as these, the Carnegie Foundation recognized Rice as a “Tier One” research university with a classification of “Very High Research Activity” and “Comprehensive Doctoral Program.”
Faculty recognition
Rice’s faculty members have distinguished themselves among their peers for their dedication to research, and have received numerous honors and awards, among which are the following: Nobel Laureates (3), National Academy of Sciences (13), National Medal of Science (1), National Academy of Engineering (18), National Academy of Medicine (3), American Academy of Arts and Sciences (20), National Humanities Center (8), Guggenheim (3), and the Pulitzer Prize (3).
Student population
Even as Rice’s faculty members dedicate themselves to scholarship and research, they at the same time demonstrate a strong commitment to teaching. They have maintained a student-to-faculty ratio of 6:1 to provide their highly gifted students an exceptional education. Indeed, Rice’s small size—the university has 4,776 undergraduate students and 4,104 graduate students—allows its students to participate in innovative research alongside world-class faculty and to become actively engaged in the creation of new knowledge and technology. Rice encourages undergraduate and graduate students to become engaged in the creation of new knowledge and technology, and more than 70% of our undergraduates participate in research during their time at Rice. By providing personal attention and offering excellent programs, Rice ensures that its graduates are well prepared for an ever-changing world.
University rankings
In short, Rice’s resources—its intellectual capital, physical facilities, advanced equipment and instrumentation, and financial stability—has enabled it to excel in numerous areas, including the following:
• Ranked among the top 20 national universities in the U.S. every year since rankings began in 1988 (U.S. News & World Report, 2025)
• Ranked 18th among more than 300 U.S. universities offering a full range of undergraduate majors and master’s and doctoral degrees and having a strong emphasis on research (U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges, 2025).
• Ranked 7th in Best-Run Colleges (Princeton Review, Best 390 Colleges, 2025).
• Ranked 7th in Undergraduate Teaching Programs) (U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges, 2025).
• Ranked 18th in Best Science Lab Facilities (Princeton Review, Best 390 Colleges, 2025).
• Ranked 6th in Best Value Schools (2025 U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges guidebook).
• Ranked 18th in Great Financial Aid (Princeton Review, Best 390 Colleges, 2025).
• Ranked 11th in Their Students Love These Colleges (Princeton Review, Best 390 Colleges, 2025).
• Ranked 1st in “Lots of Race/Class Interaction” (Princeton Review, Best 390 Colleges, 2025).
• Ranked 25th in Best Quality of Life (Princeton Review, Best 390 Colleges, 2025).
• Ranked 19th in Best College Dorms (Princeton Review, Best 390 Colleges, 2025).
• Ranked 4th in Best College Newspaper (Princeton Review, Best 390 Colleges, 2025).
• Ranked 9th, Most Beautiful Campus (Princeton Review, Best 390 Colleges, 2025).
• Ranked 16th in Happiest Students (Princeton Review, Best 390 Colleges, 2025).
• Ranked 29th in Most Innovative Schools (U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges, 2025).
• Baker Institute for Public Policy ranked 1st in the United States for Energy and Resource Policy Think Tanks (University of Pennsylvania’s Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program, 2020).
Sources: Rice University Office of Institutional Research; U.S. News and World Report, Best Colleges, 2025; Princeton Review, Best 390 Colleges, 2025; University of Pennsylvania’s Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program, 2020).
Last Updated: February 2025.