Solid graduate outcomes with earnings above the peer average.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
Rice University graduates demonstrate mixed earnings progression over time, with some volatility in the early-to-mid career transition. Earnings begin at $79,751 six years after enrollment, decline slightly to $78,690 at eight years, then rise to $89,718 at ten years, representing 12.5% growth from the six-year baseline.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Strong relative performance — graduates earn notably more than peers at comparable institutions.
Financial justification for the investment.
Excellent affordability. Median debt of $11,000 is well under annual earnings, enabling comfortable repayment.
Rice University graduates demonstrate exceptional debt outcomes with median borrowing of just $11,000, well below the peer median of $24,181. This $13,181 difference represents substantial savings compared to similar institutions and contributes significantly to Rice's strong return on investment profile.
Rice University ranks at the 96.9th percentile for return on investment with top-tier performance, positioning it among the strongest institutions nationally for educational value. Graduates earn $991 beyond expectations compared to similar students, placing Rice at the 60.0th percentile for value-added earnings.
Approximately 27.8% of Rice graduates continue to graduate or professional study, based on program mix analysis with medium confidence. This continua...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Rice's strongest earnings outcomes concentrate in engineering and computer science programs, with Artificial Intelligence leading at $172,391 and Electrical Engineering at $139,102. Chemical Engineering produces earnings of $108,850, while mathematics programs like Algebra and Number Theory generate $97,071.
Business programs maintain solid performance with Business Administration at $89,530 and Applied Economics at $88,145. Even traditionally lower-earning fields demonstrate competitive outcomes, with American History producing $70,345 and Psychology earning $57,256.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
Earnings distribution at Rice shows substantial variation reflecting diverse career paths and program outcomes. The spread from $62,982 at the 25th percentile to $143,920 at the 75th percentile represents a 2.3:1 ratio, indicating meaningful differences in post-graduation earning potential.
