Rice University has once again earned national recognition in The Princeton Review’s annual Best Colleges rankings, taking the No. 1 spot in the nation for Lots of Race/Class Interaction and placing among the country’s top colleges across measures of community, value and student experience.
Rice climbed 13 spots from last year to lead the nation in the race and class interaction category. The university also ranked No. 3 for Best College Newspaper and No. 9 for Friendliest Students.
"This recognition reflects the welcoming, collaborative community our students create at Rice,” President Reginald DesRoches said. “Rice is strengthened by the experiences, perspectives, cultures and ambitions each of our students brings to our community. Together, they learn from one another, broaden their perspectives and make Rice a richer and more dynamic place to live and learn.”
Rice also ranked among the nation’s top 25 in 11 additional categories: Best Quality of Life (No. 11), Great Financial Aid (No. 13), Best Value Colleges, Private Schools (No. 14), Their Students Love These Colleges (No. 17), Best Value Colleges Without Aid, Private Schools (No. 18), Best Student Support and Counseling Services (No. 18), Best College Dorms (No. 19), Students Study the Most (No. 21), Best Campus Food (No. 24), Best College Radio Station (No. 24) and Best-Run Colleges (No. 24).
“These rankings highlight what makes Rice distinct: rigorous academics paired with an exceptional student experience,” said Amy Dittmar, the Howard R. Hughes Provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “Our students challenge one another intellectually while building a community rooted in collaboration and support.”
Among Rice’s top 10 rankings:
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No. 1 — Lots of Race/Class Interaction: Rice brings together students from a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives in a highly collaborative environment. Small classes, interdisciplinary learning and a strong campus culture create frequent opportunities for students to form relationships across academic, cultural and socioeconomic lines.
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No. 3 — Best College Newspaper: The Rice Thresher, founded in 1916, is a respected and award-winning student publication covering campus news, opinion, arts, sports and student life. Its alumni have gone on to careers in journalism and media across the country.
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No. 9 — Friendliest Students: Rice is known for a welcoming, supportive student culture where collaboration extends beyond the classroom and students describe a strong sense of community and care for one another.
Rice earned national recognition across several other measures of the student experience, including financial aid and value, campus housing and quality of life. The university’s strengths include the Rice Investment , which offers free tuition to undergraduate students from families making up to $200,000 a year; its distinctive residential college system, which fosters close-knit communities, mentorship and traditions; and a tree-lined, 300-acre campus in the heart of Houston that provides students access to abundant research, internship and cultural opportunities.
Student comments collected by The Princeton Review offer a window into why Rice performed strongly across so many categories. Students describe an environment where “knowledge isn’t siloed,” with students regularly crossing disciplines and interests, and their peers as “incredibly collaborative and supportive in every sense of the word.”
That collaborative spirit is reinforced by what students call Rice’s “culture of care.” One student said having “friends from diverse backgrounds and different majors makes it very supportive and less competitive.” Students also characterize their peers as “sneaky smart and extremely motivated” and “extremely passionate, intelligent and hardworking,” while at the same time “very outgoing and compassionate.”
“We are delighted to name Rice University one of our Best Colleges for 2027 and we recommend it to students searching for their ‘best-fit’ college,” said Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review. “Rice has outstanding academic programs and we also took into account the candid feedback we received about it from its very own customers — its enrolled students.”
The Princeton Review’s 2027 edition profiles 392 colleges, representing about 14% of the nearly 2,800 four-year colleges in the United States. The company selected schools for the book based in part on surveys of college administrators about their academic offerings and other institutional information.
The rankings are based entirely on surveys of students attending the schools in the book who reported on their campus experiences. The Princeton Review tallied surveys from 172,000 students at the 392 colleges — an average of about 439 students per school. The Best 392 Colleges is the 35th annual edition of The Princeton Review’s flagship college guide, which debuted in 1992.