Rice University named top college in U.S. News' new rankings for 2025

top of class

The home of the Rice Owls is on top once again. Photo via Rice University

Houston's own "Ivy League of the South" has come out on top as one of the best universities in the nation for 2025, according to U.S. News and World Report's just-released list of the Best Colleges for 2025.

Rice University claimed No. 1 in Texas, and ranked No. 18 nationally in a one-spot slip from last year's ranking. The private institution has a 98 percent first-year retention rate, and an "actual" graduation rate of 96 percent. Rice costs $60,709 in tuition and fees for students each year, and according to the school's profile, it has an acceptance rate of eight percent.

In April, Rice's Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business ranked No. 2 in U.S. News' ranking of the best graduate schools in Texas, with its entrepreneurship program tying for No. 8 nationally, and the part-time MBA program ranking No. 15 overall. Those rankings may change in the next few years once the school finishes its brand new facility for the business school.

Rice also fared similarly in Niche'slist of best colleges, in which it ranked No. 15 nationally. Forbes ranked the university No. 9 nationwide in its list of best colleges for the 2024-2025 school year, and Rice was bestowed an "Ivy League" status in Forbes' recent report on top public and private schools that churn out top graduates.

“We are delighted to see Rice University recognized as one of America’s producers of great talent. Rice has been a recruiting destination for employers for many years and that is because Rice students are adaptable, curious, bright, and are solution oriented,” Nicole Van Den Heuvel, executive director of the Center for Career Development, says in a news release from Rice.

In a glowing review of the university, one former business student said studying at Rice was a "transformative experience."

"Rice is the perfect blend of rigorous academics, strong athletics, and a nurturing and engaging social life," the reviewer wrote. "It's quite idyllic. Rice is known as a STEM school, but it has distinguished programs in humanities, social sciences, music and architecture too. Professors are top scholars in their fields and will know you by name. Students are well prepared academically, but are also collaborative and supportive."

Right behind Rice in the rankings is The University of Texas at Austin, which ranked No. 2 in Texas and No. 30 nationally. Just behind UT Austin is College Station's Texas A&M University, which placed No. 3 in the Texas rankings and No. 51 nationally.

The University of Houston maintained its No. 8 rank in the statewide comparison, but fell 11 spots down into No. 144 in the national rankings.

The University of St. Thomas ranked No. 9 in Texas, and moved up seven places to rank No. 209 in the U.S. for 2025.

U.S. News' top 10 best colleges in Texas in 2024 are:

  • No. 1 – Rice University, Houston
  • No. 2 – University of Texas at Austin
  • No. 3 – Texas A&M University, College Station
  • No. 4 – Baylor University, Waco
  • No. 5 – Southern Methodist University, Dallas
  • No. 6 – Texas Christian University, Fort Worth
  • No. 7 – The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson
  • No. 8 – University of Houston
  • No. 9 – University of St. Thomas, Houston
  • No. 10 – Texas Tech University, Lubbock

The full rankings can be found on usnews.com.

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

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CPRIT grants $22M to bring top cancer researchers to Houston

fresh funding

Several prominent cancer researchers are coming to the Houston area thanks to $22 million in grants recently awarded by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT).

The biggest CPRIT recruitment grant — $6 million — went to genetics researcher Jean Gautier. Gautier, a professor of genetics and development at Columbia University’s Institute for Cancer Genetics, is joining the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to continue his research.

The website for Gautier’s lab at Columbia provides this explanation of his research:

“The main objective of our research is to better understand the molecular mechanisms responsible for the maintenance of genome stability. These controls are lost in cancer, which is characterized by genomic instability.”

Aside from his work as a professor, Gautier is co-leader of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Cancer Genomics and Epigenomics Program at Columbia.

Other recipients of CPRIT recruitment grants include:

  • $2 million to recruit Xun Sun from the Scripps Research Institute to the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.
  • $2 million to recruit Mingqi Han from the University of California, Los Angeles to MD Anderson.
  • $2 million to recruit Matthew Jones from Stanford University to MD Anderson.
  • $2 million to recruit Linna An from the University of Washington to Rice University.
  • $2 million to recruit Alissa Greenwald from the Weizmann Institute of Science to MD Anderson.
  • $2 million to recruit Niladri Sinha from Johns Hopkins University to the Baylor College of Medicine.
  • $2 million for Luigi Perelli to stay at MD Anderson so he can be put on a tenure track and set up a research lab.
  • $2 million for Benjamin Schrank to stay at MD Anderson so he can be put on a tenure track and set up a research lab.

Over $20.2 million in academic research grants were awarded to researchers at:

  • Baylor College of Medicine
  • Houston Methodist Research Institute
  • Rice University
  • Texas Southern University
  • University of Houston
  • University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
  • University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
  • University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

In addition, nearly $4.45 million in cancer prevention grants were awarded to one researcher at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and another at Texas Southern University.

Also, five Houston businesses benefited from CPRIT grants for product development research:

  • Allterum Therapeutics, $2,999,996
  • CTMC, $1,342,178
  • Instapath, $900,000
  • Prana Surgical, $900,000
  • InformAI, $465,188

“Texas is a national leader in the fight against cancer,” said Kristen Pauling Doyle, CPRIT’s CEO. “We can measure the return on investment from CPRIT grants … not only in the economic benefits flowing from increased financial activity and jobs in the state, but more importantly in the cancers avoided, detected early, and treated successfully. Thanks to the Legislature’s vision, this commitment is saving lives.”

Overall, CPRIT approved 61 grants totaling more than $93 million in this recent round of funding.

The Houston app that makes your commute smoother, greener + more rewarding

Return to Office

As Houstonians transition back to the office, navigating the city’s complex traffic landscape can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, Houston ConnectSmart, a free app designed specifically for the greater Houston area, is here to make that return easier on your schedule, your wallet, and even the planet.

Unlike national navigation apps, ConnectSmart is built with local commuters in mind. It offers features tailored to Houston’s unique traffic patterns, such as real-time alerts about road closures, construction zones, and flooding. The app also integrates live traffic camera feeds and notifies users about adverse weather conditions, helping them adjust their routes efficiently and avoid delays.

ConnectSmart goes beyond basic navigation. It’s the only local app that keeps commuters fully informed with proactive, real-time trip alerts. These alerts tell users exactly when to leave, flag incidents on their routes, and provide alternative paths to ensure the smoothest possible drive. Additionally, through the Tow and Go program, users stranded on eligible freeways can access no-cost towing to a safe location.

For those looking to save money, time, and the planet, ConnectSmart also shines as a carpooling tool.

With its Carpool feature, users can coordinate rides with colleagues or friends, making use of HOV lanes and cutting down on the number of single-occupancy vehicles on the road. Whether you're a driver or a rider, the app allows you to customize your commute by setting pick-up points, schedules, and drop-off locations. If plans change, Trip Protection ensures you won’t be stranded, offering compensation for a backup ride home in the event of a last-minute cancellation.

Carpooling with ConnectSmart doesn’t just ease stress — it also lightens your environmental footprint and reduces the wear and tear on your vehicle. The app even provides real-time parking information for garages, lots, and street spaces, making the end of your commute as hassle-free as the journey itself.

For employers, ConnectSmart offers an Employer Commute Suite that enables organizations to set up private carpool groups for staff. This feature fosters a more connected, sustainable workplace culture and helps businesses support employees in managing their daily commutes.

Whether you're driving solo or looking to share a ride, Houston ConnectSmart brings a smarter, more sustainable way to get around the Bayou City. Download the app for free from the App Store or Google Play, and start your commute with confidence, convenience, and community in mind.

For more information about setting up an Employer Commute Suite, contact ConnectSmart today and take the first step toward transforming how your organization gets to work.

California company to launch Walmart drone delivery in Houston

taking off

California-based Wing will soon touch down in Houston.

The drone delivery company has partnered with Walmart Supercenters in Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Orlando and Tampa. According to a news release, Wing’s drone delivery services will be available at 100 Walmart stores across the selected markets by this time next year.

Wing also plans to expand to additional Walmart stores in Dallas-Fort Worth, where Wing and Walmart already serve customers from 18 Walmart Supercenters. Wing reports that it has completed thousands of deliveries from DFW-area Walmarts with an average fulfillment time of under 19 minutes. Wing and Walmart launched their first location in the Dallas area in the fall of 2023.

"The popularity of drone delivery in DFW is a testament not just to its convenience, but to the way this technology quickly becomes a part of everyday life,” Wing CEO Adam Woodworth said in the news release. “Walmart has been a strong partner that shares our commitment to innovation and is equally eager to bring this new type of service to many more households.”

Customers in Houston and the other markets in the latest expansion can visit wing.com/walmart to be notified when drone delivery becomes available in their area.

The service works similarly to any other online shopping platform, and users can select the exact location for the drone to drop off their package. Items are packaged in a specialized box that a Wing drone retrieves from Walmart. The drones cruise up to 65 mph and drop off the package outside a shopper's home.

“This is real drone delivery at scale,” Woodworth said in the release. “People all around the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex have made drone delivery part of their normal shopping habits over the past year. Now we’re excited to share this ultra-fast delivery experience with millions more people across many more U.S. cities.”

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