Rice University is a star student among the top colleges in the U.S.

A new ranking from education information and review platform Niche ranks Rice as the sixth best college in the country and the best in Texas, with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology holding the top spot nationally. Rice’s ranking is one notch above its seventh-place showing on the list Niche released in 2021.

“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,” says Reginald DesRoches, president of Rice. “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 also appears at No. 6 on Niche’s list of the best private schools in the U.S. and at No. 7 among colleges offering the best value. Both of those rankings are the highest in Texas.

Notably for locals, the Universtity of Houston ranks No. 5 among the Top Public Universities in Texas.

Following Rice, here are the top colleges in Texas as determined by Niche:

• University of Texas at Austin, No. 46 in the U.S. and No. 2 in Texas. UT also ranks eighth on the list of best public colleges in the U.S. and first in Texas.
• Texas A&M University in College Station, No. 75 in the U.S. and No. 3 in Texas.
• Southern Methodist University in Dallas, No. 82 in the U.S. and No. 4 in Texas.
• Trinity University in San Antonio, No. 99 in the U.S. and No. 5 in Texas.
• Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, No. 104 in the U.S. and No. 6 in Texas.
• Texas Tech University in Lubbock, No. 148 in the U.S. and No. 7 in Texas.
• Baylor University in Waco, No. 172 in the U.S. and No. 8 in Texas.
• University of Texas at Dallas, No. 220 in the U.S. and No. 9 in Texas.
• University of Houston, No. 232 in the U.S. and No. 10 in Texas.

To create the college rankings, Niche combines data from sources such as the U.S. Department of Education with user input — reviews and ratings from current students, alumni, and parents — in an analysis of factors such as academics, campus, and value for the financial investment. The rankings compare more than 1,000 colleges and universities across the country.

“We know that choosing where to go to college is a major life decision, and we’ve always been committed to helping students and their families make their choice with as much information as possible,” says Luke Skurman, founder and CEO of Niche. “With a mix of comprehensive data and millions of reviews, our 2023 best colleges rankings are a guide to the thousands of excellent institutions across the country.”