The real 4-year cost of Rice University in Texas
Over the 18 years from 2008 to 2026, published tuition and required fees at Rice University went from $29,714 to $72,124, an average of 5.0% a year. The 2026–27 figure is the school's own announced rate.
2026–27 rate announced: $72,124First/second/third-year tuition $71,140 + mandatory fees $984.source
2008–2030: history and projection
| Year | Published | Projected estimate | Estimate range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $29,714 | – | – |
| 2009 | $31,930 | – | – |
| 2010 | $33,771 | – | – |
| 2011 | $35,551 | – | – |
| 2012 | $37,292 | – | – |
| 2013 | $38,941 | – | – |
| 2014 | $40,566 | – | – |
| 2015 | $42,253 | – | – |
| 2016 | $43,918 | – | – |
| 2017 | $45,608 | – | – |
| 2018 | $47,350 | – | – |
| 2019 | $49,112 | – | – |
| 2020 | $51,107 | – | – |
| 2021 | $52,895 | – | – |
| 2022 | $54,960 | – | – |
| 2023 | $58,128 | – | – |
| 2026 | $72,124 | $72,124 | – |
| 2027 | – | $75,716 | $74,834–$76,599 |
| 2028 | – | $79,488 | $77,646–$81,351 |
| 2029 | – | $83,447 | $80,564–$86,399 |
| 2030 | – | $87,604 | $83,591–$91,759 |
If you pay full sticker
Projected tuition + fees, entering fall 2026.
| Year 1 | $72,124 |
| Year 2 | $75,716 |
| Year 3 | $79,488 |
| Year 4 | $83,447 |
| 4-year total | $310,776 |
Two aid scenarios
4-year out-of-pocket total.
- $10,000/yr flat scholarship
- $270,776
- Flat aid doesn't grow, so it covers less each year.
- 50%-of-tuition scholarship
- $157,842
- Percentage aid keeps pace with tuition.
On-campus housing & meals
Room & board (housing plus the standard meal plan), on top of tuition.
- Announced 2026–27
- $20,530/ yr
- rising 3.8% / yr
- Projected 4-year add-on
- $86,895
School’s own published rateRoom and board as announced by the university.source
Books & supplies typically add ~$1,200 a year (national median, not included).
Run your own numbers
Enter your actual scholarship offer to see your real 4-year total.
See my 4-year cost at Rice University4-year schools with similar prices in Texas
Closest to Rice University by published tuition and fees. Similar sticker prices can still compound very differently.
- Southern Methodist University$71,816
- Baylor University$67,756
- Texas Christian University$66,610
- Trinity University$59,920
- Saint Edward's University$51,384
- University of Dallas$50,880
- Southwestern University$50,858
- Austin College$46,063
Use this data
Published figures for Rice University from federal IPEDS data through 2023, free to download or embed with attribution. The embed stays current as the data updates.