fly high

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

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

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's list 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 2025 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.

rankings universities us news & world report rice university houston university of houston

want to ride my bicycle

Houston's citywide bike ride goes west with 3 routes for 2026

Courtesy of Houston First Corporation

Tour de Houston will take riders from downtown through West Houston.

Once again, Houstonians have the opportunity to explore their city on a lengthy bike ride. The Tour de Houston returns Sunday, April 26, Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced.

Presented by the Apache Corporation, an oil and gas company, the annual ride began in 2005 as a way to celebrate the beauty and diversity of Houston neighborhoods.

Similar to last year’s route, riders will begin and end at Discovery Green and the Avenida Plaza in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center. With distances of 10, 20, and 45 miles, the ride is open to beginners, intermediates, and those training for te MS 150. Riders will travel west through downtown, Memorial Park, Tanglewood, Piney Point Village, Bunker Hill Village, and Briar Forest — almost all the way to Highway 6 — before returning.

Along the route, cyclists will have the opportunity to take breaks at rest stops with music and entertainment, as well as medical support and on-site bike mechanics. Upon returning to downtown, riders can stay for a post-ride party at Discovery Green with food and drinks, music, and an expo with local bike shops and bike clubs.

“I’m grateful to Apache for their longstanding support of this event and our community. Tour de Houston is something that cyclists of all ages and abilities truly look forward to each year,” Mayor Whitmire said in a statement. “It’s a great way to experience our city from a new perspective while directly supporting our beautification and reforestation work through Re-Plant Houston. I encourage everyone to ride, volunteer, or support this year’s event.”

RePlant is a program through the Houston Parks and Recreation Department that increases the amount of canopy trees in the city. Since 2005, the event has raised more than $1.2 million for the RePLant project.

Registration is open now. Riders are encouraged to sign up before the price increases from $50 (kids 12 and under $35).

bicycle tour de houston parks recreation