Houston's Rice University earns top-15 rank on 2 prestigious new lists

school is in session

Rice is racking up new accolades. Photo via Rice.edu

Classes are barely back in session, and already Rice University students have report cards to write home about. In this case, their school's getting graded. No surprise: It made the honor roll.

Rice University has earned top-15 rankings in two new national surveys. Education information and review platform Niche has ranked Rice the 15th best college in the country and the No. 1 best in Texas for 2025. And Forbes has ranked Rice No. 9 in its 2024-25 list of top U.S. colleges. The University of Houston also makes the cut for the Forbes report, landing at No. 46 for public universities, a 22-spot improvement from last year.

While still head of the class in Texas, Rice actually slid down the Niche national rankings from its place at No. 9 last year. The university received an overall grade of A+, and an A+ in six of the 12 ranking categories: academics, diversity, professors, student life, value, and location. It gets an A for the party scene, campus, and campus food; an A- for dorms, a B+ for athletics, and a B for safety.

Nationally, Rice ranked No. 1 for:

  • Best Colleges for Kinesiology and Physical Therapy in America
  • Best Colleges for Sports Management in America
  • Best Colleges for Architecture in America

It also rated No. 1 overall school in Texas, and No. 1 best-value college in the Houston area.

"Amazing diversity, great professors, and world-class research. Especially good for people who like going to small schools with no sororities or fraternities. The financial aid is by far one of the best in the country ..." reads one five-star review on Niche.com. "The academic competition is not as crazy as schools like Harvard or Princeton and the coursework is manageable... Overall great school with emphasis on smaller class sizes and community (through the famous residential college system, which Rice is known for - this is why they compare it to Hogwarts!)"

Rice University made great strides in the new Forbes rankings, leapfrogging from No. 22 last year to No. 9 for 2024-25. It's the first time the university has landed in a top-10 spot on the prestigious list.

Forbes uses 14 metrics to determine 500 top American colleges that offer the best career, educational, and financial outcomes for all students.

"Forbes’ annual list showcases 500 schools that produce successful, high-earning, and influential graduates from all economic backgrounds, with less student debt," the report's authors say.

Forbes applauds Rice's small student-to-teacher ratio, range of undergraduate majors, and robust financial aid assistance, among other factors. The university earns a financial grade of A. Total annual cost is $74,110, and average grant aid awarded is $51,955, Forbes says. The median 10-year salary for alumni is $152,100.

"Admissions data revealed an acceptance rate of only 7.7 percent for the class of 2027 — a record low for the university," the report says. "Enrolled out-of-state and international students outnumbered those in Texas, accounting for the majority of the class of 2026 student body."

In a news release, Rice University President Reginald DesRoches says Rice’s vault to the top 10 in the Forbes rankings underscores its commitment to providing a world-class and affordable education, cultivating groundbreaking research, and maintaining a vibrant, inclusive community.

“This ranking is a testament to the hard work of our students, faculty, staff and the incredible support of our alumni and to the enduring strength of our academic and research programs, "DesRoches says. "At Rice, we are committed to nurturing the next generation of leaders and innovators, and this recognition by Forbes reinforces the impact of our mission.”

For UH's showing on the Forbes report, the school rose 37 spots to land at No. 115 in the list of all schools, and Forbes ranks UH in the top 100 for research-focused universities, landing at No. 85.

“This latest ranking demonstrates the University of Houston’s commitment to student success and world class academic programs,” Diane Z. Chase, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, says in a news release. “Inclusion in Forbes’ list of America’s Top Colleges is yet another accolade we can be very proud of. It’s another reminder of the momentum gained each day through the hard work and persistence of our campus community.”

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

An annual ranking recognized Rice University again — but the Houston school ranked a tad lower this year. Photo courtesy of Rice

Report: Rice University again ranks among the top schools in nation

hooting in Houston

Rice University has earned yet another accolade worth hooting about.

Niche, an education review and ranking website, has named Rice the ninth best college in the U.S., down from No. 6 last year. The Houston university receives an A+ in nine of the 12 ranking categories, including academics, diversity, and value. It gets an A for the party scene, a B+ for athletics, and a B for safety.

“We’re proud that Niche once again rates Rice not only one of the nation’s top universities, but also one of the nation’s best college values,” university President Reginald DesRoches said in 2022. “This is especially gratifying because Niche reflects the opinions of students and parents who know firsthand what outstanding education opportunities Rice continues to offer.”

Rice regularly ranks highly on lists of the best colleges and universities in the country, including those published by Niche, Forbes, and U.S. News & World Report.

“Rice is an awesome place. I went to Rice because I wanted professors who actually wanted to see their students succeed, and I can confidently say that’s what I found at Rice,” a student wrote in a Niche review. “The classes are thorough but the tests are very reasonable and focus on the material we learned in class.”

Topping Niche’s national list is Yale University, followed by Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Princeton University, Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Dartmouth College.

Rice comes in at No. 12 on Niche’s list of the “best value colleges” in the U.S. and ranks first among the best colleges in Texas. Here are the top 10 Texas schools, including the eighth-ranked University of Houston:

1. Rice University
2. University of Texas at Austin
3. Texas A&M University (College Station)
4. Trinity University (San Antonio)
5. Southern Methodist University (University Park)
6. Texas Christian University (Fort Worth)
7. Texas Tech University (Lubbock)
8. University of Houston
9. University of Texas Permian Basin (Odessa)
10. Baylor University (Waco)

Other Houston-area schools in the Texas ranking are:

  • University of Houston – Clear Lake (No. 13)
  • University of St. Thomas (No. 26)
  • University of Houston – Downtown (No. 39)
  • Prairie View A&M University (No. 43)

“Choosing where to go to college is easily one of the most significant — and expensive — decisions of a person’s life. Niche’s mission is to ensure that every college-bound student has access to easy, transparent and free resources … to help them find their best fit,” Luke Skurman, founder and CEO of Niche, says in a news release.

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New TMC partnership aims to grow Houston’s biomanufacturing workforce

workforce partnership

Houston is a frontrunner in the race to introduce and manufacture advanced therapeutics to the medical world. A new agreement between the Texas Medical Center (TMC) and San Jacinto College (SJC) aims to speed more experts and their technologies towards the finish line.

Earlier this month, the world's largest medical center and the nation’s second-ranked community college announced their new partnership that will set students on a path towards careers not only in life sciences in general, but also in pharmaceutical and biomanufacturing specifically.

SJC already has programs in those majors—its first graduates are now joining the workforce—but working with TMC will help the college recruit new students, as well as aid in enrollment and participation. Thanks to this collaboration, SJC students will benefit from more experiential learning and be able to transition more smoothly into the next steps in their training.

“Houston is a premier global hub for life sciences and biotechnology, and the talent we need to advance therapeutic drugs, diagnostics, and cell and gene therapy is already here,” William McKeon, the TMC’s president and CEO, said in a news release. “With more companies choosing to establish their headquarters in Houston and the daily breakthroughs happening across the TMC campus, partnering with San Jacinto College is an important step toward sustaining that momentum and unlocking even greater innovation and growth through the promising talent that already exists within our state.”

The partnership is currently slated to last two years, but the institutions have the option to extend after that.

For students, their journey to becoming scientists will likely start with Biopath @ TMC, a program that introduces high school students to biomanufacturing careers and what it takes to pursue one. Since its inception two years ago, the program has worked with more than 2,000 students around Harris County.

“This partnership exemplifies San Jacinto College’s ability to design and deliver programs that align with current workforce demands while opening doors for untapped talent across the Houston region,” Brenda Hellyer, SJC chancellor, said in the release. “TMC is a key industry leader in our region, and San Jacinto College has a unique global curriculum that provides the foundation and skills required for students to succeed and graduates to thrive in meaningful careers that will contribute to the innovation and advancement of the life sciences.”

Thanks to this new collaboration, more of Houston’s biomanufacturing workforce will soon be locally grown.

Houston legacy planning platform secures $2.5M investment, adds to board

fresh funding

Houston-based Paige, a comprehensive life planning and succession software company, has secured a $2.5 million investment to expand the AI-driven tools on its platform.

The funding comes from Alabama-based 22nd State Banking Company, according to a news release. Paige says it will use the funding to expand automation, AI-driven onboarding and self-service tools, as well as add to its sales and customer success teams.

The company was originally founded by CEO Emily Cisek in 2020 as The Postage and rebranded to Paige last year. It helps users navigate and organize end-of-life planning with features like document storage and organization, password management, and funeral and last wishes planning.

“Too many families are left trying to piece together important information during some of the hardest moments of their lives,” Cisek said in the news release. “This investment allows us to accelerate the next phase of growth for Paige by improving the product and expanding support for our members, our financial institution partners and the communities they serve,”

In addition to the funding news, the company also announced that 22nd State Banking CEO and President Steve Smith will join Paige's board of directors.

“We believe banking should be grounded in relationships and built around the real needs of the people and communities we serve. Paige brings something deeply relevant to that mission," Smith added in the release. "It helps families prepare for the future in a practical and meaningful way, and it gives the banking community new pathways to support customers through important life transitions.”

Paige estimates that $124 trillion in assets will change hands through 2048. Yet about 56 percent of Americans do not have an estate plan.

Read more on the topic from Cisek in a recent op-ed here; or listen to InnovationMap's 2021 interview with her here.

Houston digital health platform Koda lands strategic investment

money moves

Houston-based advance care planning platform Koda Health has added another investor to the lineup.

The company secured a strategic investment for an undisclosed amount from UPMC Enterprises, the commercialization arm of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The funding is part of Koda's oversubscribed series A funding round that closed in October, according to a release.

"UPMC Enterprises’ investment is a meaningful signal, not just to Koda, but to the broader market," Dr. Desh Mohan, chief medical officer and co-founder of Koda Health, said in the news release. "It validates that health systems are ready to invest in infrastructure that makes advance care planning work the way it should: proactively, at scale, and with the human support that these conversations require. Having UPMC Enterprises as a strategic investor puts us in a unique position to prove what's possible."

Koda has raised $14 million to date, according to a representative from the company. Its series A round was led by Evidenced, with participation from Mudita Venture Partners, Techstars and the Texas Medical Center last year. At the time, the company said the funding would allow it to scale operations and expand engineering, clinical strategy and customer success. The company described the round as a "pivotal moment," as it had secured investments from influential leaders in the healthcare and venture capital space.

Koda Health, which was born out of the TMC's Biodesign Fellowship in 2020, saw major growth last year, as well, and now supports more than 1 million patients nationwide through partnerships with Cigna Healthcare, Privia Health, Guidehealth, Sentara, UPMC and Memorial Hermann Health System.

The company integrated its end-of-life care planning platform with Dallas-based Guidehealth in April 2025 and with Epic Systems in July 2025. It also won the 2025 Houston Innovation Award in the Health Tech Business category. Read more here.

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