If tuition were free again at Rice?

Owl2014
Sat, 26 Nov 2011 17:37:59 +0000

Tuition accounts for 19% or $104.7m of Rice’s operating revenue. I think this figure includes financial aid dollars as well. See [Sources and Uses : Rice University](Rice University)

Rice’s endowment’s return is between 10-20% per year, which would mean that for Rice to go tuition-free again, a donor would have to establish an endowment for ~$750m - $1b to sustain itself in perpetuity. This seems like an enormous amount of money to pony up, so I don’t think it’s realistic. However, if Rice’s endowment grows over the next decade or so, perhaps it can reduce the share of operating income dependent on tuition thereby lowering or eliminating it. One wonders why Harvard charges any tuition… maybe to keep applications low (relatively)?

I don’t believe tuition-free would “cheapen” Rice’s name. I think it would only add to it. Look at Olin College, which before the financial mess of 2008 used to provide a full tuition scholarship to all accepted students.

Also, I wouldn’t call Emory a peer school. Duke, yes.