Rice University Acceptance Rate: Class of 2030 Admissions Statistics

Rice admitted 2,948 students out of 36,791 applicants for the Class of 2029, resulting in an 8.01% acceptance rate.

For the Class of 2030, Rice has not yet released complete admissions results. However, the university admitted 447 students through Early Decision I (ED I) in December 2025. ED II results were expected to have been released in mid-February, though Rice has not reported numbers yet. Regular Decision (RD) results are announced in late March.

In this blog, we’ll walk through Rice’s latest overall, early, regular, waitlist, and transfer acceptance rates and examine how selectivity has changed over time.

• Rice Acceptance Rates
• Rice Early Decision Acceptance Rate
• Rice Regular Decision Acceptance Rate
• Rice Transfer Acceptance Rate
• Rice Waitlist Acceptance Rate
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

Rice Acceptance Rates

Rice’s overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was 8.01%, nearly unchanged from 8.00% for the Class of 2028. While the acceptance rate has remained relatively stable in recent years, the number of applicants has continued to grow.

Over the past decade, Rice’s acceptance rate has gradually declined as application numbers increased. Here’s the full trend:

Note: All data has been compiled from Rice’s Common Data Set and Office of Admission releases. 

Applications to Rice increased from 18,063 for the Class of 2021 to 36,791 for the Class of 2029, reflecting a major rise in applicant interest over the past decade. During the same period, the number of admitted students stayed relatively steady, typically ranging between about 2,300 and 2,900 per year.

Because Rice’s incoming class size has remained fairly consistent, higher application volumes have pushed acceptance rates downward, declining from 15.86% for the Class of 2021 to 8.01% for the Class of 2029. The noticeable jump in applications around the Class of 2025 likely reflects Rice’s test-optional policy implemented during the pandemic, which remained in place through the most recent admission cycles.

Rice Early Decision Acceptance Rate

The most recent cycle with fully available Early Decision data is the Class of 2029. The ED I acceptance rate was 13.2%, while ED II had a 6% acceptance rate, resulting in an overall ED rate of 11.84%. In total, Rice admitted 649 students out of 5,483 ED applicants.

Rice continues to release Early Decision statistics each year, allowing applicants to see how selectivity in the early round has evolved over time.

Rice Early Decision acceptance rate trends

The available data below shows how Early Decision selectivity has changed in recent years:

Note: Early Decision data has been compiled from Rice’s Common Data Set and official campus newspaper publications. 

Rice’s Early Decision acceptance rate has declined in recent years as more students apply through the early round. For the Class of 2029, Rice received 5,483 ED applications, the highest early applicant total in the university’s history, and admitted 649 students, also the largest number of ED admits on record, resulting in an 11.84% acceptance rate. This cycle also marked Rice’s first year offering ED II, which likely contributed to the surge in early applicants.

Even with the growing competition, ED applicants still have an advantage. The 11.84% ED acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 is notably higher than Rice’s 8.01% overall acceptance rate for the same year.

Rice Regular Decision Acceptance Rate

The most recent cycle with fully available Regular Decision data is the Class of 2029, when Rice admitted 2,299 students out of 31,308 applicants, resulting in a 7.34% Regular Decision acceptance rate. This is slightly higher than 7.07% for the Class of 2028, though the difference is relatively small as application numbers remain high.

Rice Regular Decision acceptance rate trends

The available data below shows how Regular Decision selectivity has evolved in recent years:

Note: RD figures are estimated from the difference between Rice University’s publicly released overall admissions statistics and its ED numbers.

Rice’s available Regular Decision data shows application totals rising significantly over time, from 16,460 applicants for the Class of 2021 to 31,308 for the Class of 2029. During the same period, the number of admitted students remained relatively stable, generally ranging between about 1,950 and 2,500 admits per year.

Because Rice’s class size has stayed fairly consistent, higher application volumes have pushed Regular Decision acceptance rates downward overall, declining from 15.40% for the Class of 2021 to 7.34% for the Class of 2029.

Rice Transfer Acceptance Rate

The most recent available Rice transfer data comes from Fall 2024, when the university recorded a 6.92% transfer acceptance rate. Here’s the breakdown:

Note: Fall 2024 transfer data is from Rice’s Common Data Set for 2024–2025, the same reporting year that includes Class of 2029 first-year admissions data.

Rice’s transfer admissions process is highly selective. The 6.92% transfer acceptance rate for Fall 2024 is slightly lower than Rice’s 8.01% overall first-year acceptance rate for the Class of 2029, reflecting the limited number of transfer spots available each year.

Rice Waitlist Acceptance Rate

The most recent available waitlist data comes from the Class of 2028, when Rice admitted 4.37% of students who confirmed their waitlist spots. Here’s the breakdown:

Note: Waitlist data is sourced from Rice’s Common Data Set for the corresponding admissions cycle.

Because Rice typically enrolls a large share of its admitted students, the number of students admitted from the waitlist can vary widely from year to year. Waitlist admissions depend heavily on enrollment needs, yield rates, and how many admitted students ultimately choose to enroll, making outcomes difficult to predict.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Rice’s current acceptance rate?

The most recent confirmed acceptance rate is 8.01% for the Class of 2029. Rice admitted 2,948 students out of 36,791 applicants that year.

2. Is it easier to get into Rice through Early Decision or Regular Decision?

Historically, Early Decision applicants have higher admission rates than Regular Decision applicants. For the Class of 2029, the ED acceptance rate was 11.84%, compared with 7.34% in the RD round and 8.01% overall. However, it’s important to note that early applicants are typically among the strongest candidates.

3. How hard is it to transfer to Rice?

Transfer admission to Rice is highly selective. For Fall 2024, the university admitted 102 transfer students out of 1,473 applicants, resulting in a 6.92% transfer acceptance rate, slightly lower than the 8.01% overall freshman acceptance rate for the Class of 2029.

4. What are my chances of getting off Rice’s waitlist?

Waitlist outcomes are unpredictable and vary depending on enrollment needs each year. For the Class of 2028, Rice admitted 122 students from the waitlist, resulting in a 4.37% waitlist acceptance rate, meaning admission from the waitlist is possible but relatively uncommon.

5. Why is Rice’s acceptance rate so low?

Rice’s low acceptance rate is largely driven by rising application numbers while the university’s class size remains relatively consistent. As more students apply each year, competition increases, pushing the overall acceptance rate downward.

Takeaways

• Rice’s acceptance rate has declined over time, dropping from 15.86% for the Class of 2021 to 8.01% for the Class of 2029 as application numbers steadily increased.
• Early Decision applicants historically have higher admission rates than Regular Decision applicants. For the Class of 2029, the Early Decision acceptance rate was 11.84%, compared with 7.34% in the Regular Decision round and 8.01% overall.
• Application numbers have surged in recent years, reaching 36,791 applicants for the Class of 2029, the highest on record.
• Transfer and waitlist admissions remain highly selective, with a 6.92% transfer acceptance rate for Fall 2024 and a 4.37% waitlist acceptance rate for the Class of 2028.
• Because Rice’s admissions process is highly selective, working with a college admissions expert can help you strengthen your profile and submit a more competitive application.