Cost of undergraduate attendance to increase 3.1 percent next academic year

By Emily Abdow     3/22/19 9:00am

The cost of undergraduate attendance at Rice University will increase by 3.1 percent to $63,252 for the 2019-2020 academic year, according to a press release.

The total cost includes tuition, room and board and mandatory fees. Tuition will increase 3.7 percent, from $46,600 to $48,330. Room and board charges will rise one percent from $14,000 to $14,140 and fees will rise from $745 to $782.

The increase in attendance cost is slightly lower than last year’s increase of 3.2 percent and equivalent to two years ago. The 3.1 percent increase from the 2016-2017 to the 2017-2018 academic year was the lowest increase Rice had implemented in over a decade.

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This academic year, about 46 percent of all undergraduates eligible for financial aid received scholarship grants that cover or exceed tuition costs, according to the press release.

Beginning in fall 2019, Rice will expand its financial aid program with The Rice Investment. Under The Rice Investment, undergraduates eligible for need-based aid whose family incomes fall below $65,000 will receive grant aid covering full tuition, mandatory fees and room and board. Students with family incomes between $65,000 and $130,000 will receive at least full tuition scholarships and students from families with incomes between $130,000 and $200,000 will receive scholarships that cover at least half of their tuition. 

“Rice is committed to supporting its current and future students and making sure that, regardless of their financial status, they have access to the best in private higher education,” Rice President David Leebron said. 

Tuition for doctoral students will increase to $48,330, according to the press release. Graduate programs that will see tuition increases include architecture, music, global affairs, engineering and energy economics. Jones Business School programs that will increase in cost include the full-time MBA program, Master of Accounting, online MBA@Rice, Evening MBA for Professionals, Weekend MBA for Professionals and Executive MBA.

According to the press release, the new online master’s degree in Computer Science will enroll its first class with a total cost of $64,020.

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